Health

By Chris Davis, Network Indiana— STATE WIDE–Indiana could be susceptible to another wave of coronavirus, given the way the Delta variant spreads, says an infectious disease expert who is urging people to get educated about the COVID vaccine. Indiana’s vaccination rate is 54.3 percent. That number represents people who are eligible and are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. “I think we all hoped it would be higher at this stage in the pandemic because…

By John Disher— Annual “100,000 Award” recognizes dedication to improving health and well-being Muncie, IN— The Healthy Community Alliance of East Central Indiana (HCA) presented its “100,000 Award in Memory of Dr. George Branam” to the Healthy Lifestyle Center during its annual partner meeting on June 17, 2021. The annual award is given to an organization that supports the work of the HCA through outstanding leadership, innovative collaborations and unwavering dedication to improving the health and well-being of our community….

By IU School of Medicine— Indianapolis, IN—A National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias(NCRAD) grant has been renewed for another five years with funding expected to total $30 million from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NCRAD is led by Tatiana Foroud, PhD, Executive Associate Dean for Research Affairs at IU School of Medicine. Since 2018, NCRAD has been among the five largest grants awarded to the IU School of Medicine. “The…

By Courtney Schmoll— Muncie, IN – The emergency department at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital has been extremely busy. To help ensure that our patients are receiving the best care possible, we encourage you to use this general guideline to determine whether you should go to your doctor’s office versus the emergency room. How do I know if my illness requires emergency medicine or a primary care visit? The emergency room is designed for treating and ruling out life-threatening, true medical…

Editor’s note: The following COVID-19 update is brought to you through a collaboration of healthcare partners including Delaware County Health Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, Delaware County Office of Information, and other major healthcare providers. Delaware County weekly COVID-19 updates are released every Thursday and include information from the Indiana State Department of Health county metrics dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday afternoon.  Delaware County has gone from blue to yellow on the Indiana State Department of Health’s county…

Editor’s note: The following COVID-19 update is brought to you through a collaboration of healthcare partners including Delaware County Health Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, Delaware County Office of Information, and other major healthcare providers. Delaware County weekly COVID-19 updates are released every Thursday and include information from the Indiana State Department of Health county metrics dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday afternoon.  Delaware County has remained blue on the Indiana State Department of Health’s county metrics map for…

By IU Health— INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana University Health has awarded $3.48 million to local organizations across the state working to address early learning needs and other community issues heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are from the $100 million Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF) established in 2018 to address social and environmental determinants of health in Indiana communities. The fund is administered by the IU Health Foundation. This marks the second round of annual grants from the fund for the 2020…

By Melissa Jones— Muncie, IN — Especially evidenced by the pandemic, there is value in having a united, collaborative network of healthcare entities within a community. Recognizing this value, Ball Brothers Foundation has been funding a strategic partnership of healthcare anchor institutions in the community since 2016. In the height of COVID-19, thispartnership—Optimus Primary—continued to grow, with the foundation awarding $160,000 in funding to the program at the end of 2020. This funding aids a range of new efforts underway…