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The physicians in the nephrology division of the Indiana University School of Medicine have agreed to join IU Health Physicians, the giant medical practice created by a 2009 joint venture between the IU medical school and the Indiana University Health hospital system. A total of 28 physicians, along with their staffs, will now be known as IU Health Physicians Kidney Diseases. The practice serves adult kidney patients at several inpatient, outpatient and dialysis locations in the Indianapolis area. In addition, IU’s kidney transplant surgeons see patients at outreach locations throughout the state, including Evansville, Fort Wayne, Merrillville and Mishawaka. IU Health Physicians now employs 808 physicians. When it formed in 2009, the practice said it wanted to employ 1,200 physicians by the end of 2011, but it has fallen short of that goal. Other Indianapolis-area hospitals have been aggressively acquiring physician practices in an effort to lock in patient referrals and to better coordinate care among various medical facilities.

Barbershops in Indianapolis have partnered with Purdue University in a new effort to reduce the number of deaths from prostate cancer, particularly among blacks and Hispanics. The Purdue University Center for Cancer Research announced the Affecting Cancer Together program will connect people to free prostate cancer screenings, as well as information and resources aimed to raise awareness of the cancer and help patients prevent it. Barbers in the program have volunteered to approach their clients, friends and family to raise awareness of prostate cancer and dispel myths about the screening process. Purdue officials said barbershops are the right venue for the program because they are community hubs where individuals are comfortable and accustomed to having frank conversations.