J.K. Wall
Articles
Why violence, segregation and single parenthood are depressing Indianapolis incomes
Jim Streitelmeier, the pastor of Neighborhood Fellowship, has a specific year when he thinks Indianapolis’ social problems really took off:1973. That’s when Indianapolis Public Schools began busing black students to predominantly white schools in order to, at long last, integrate them. And it’s also the year Indiana passed a no-fault divorce law.
Leaders bedeviled by single-parent families
Policymakers on both the left and right have long felt hamstrung when it comes to addressing the problems that decades of social science research have shown hurt the economic prospects, not only of those in the midst of them, but everyone else in the community.
Is Indy holding back its kids?
Each year children spend growing up in the Indianapolis area causes them to fall further and further behind their peers nationally in future earnings potential.
In-car data poised to rewrite rules of auto insurance
Two dozen auto insurers in Indiana already have launched at least small-scale usage-based insurance programs, according to the Indiana Department of Insurance.
Feds want to cut off funding for Carmel home health firm
Carmel-based Nightingale Home Healthcare Inc. is trying to keep from being kicked out of the federal Medicare program for allegedly putting patients in “immediate jeopardy,” according to documents in a bankruptcy reorganization case the company filed in December.
Carmel-based Stratice aims to be Amazon of health care
Carmel-based Stratice Healthcare LLC wants to take the concept of electronic prescribing for drugs and extend it to most of the rest of the health care system.
Thank you and farewell
Just as a reminder, this is the end of my run as the voice of The Dose. I’m handing over the blog, starting Friday, to John Russell, IBJ’s new health care reporter.
Indy drug firm scores multi-million-dollar help from NIH
Indianapolis-based Chondrial Therapeutics LLC has been accepted into a program run by the National Institutes of Health that will provide the drug company with services worth at least $5 million, the company estimates.
Anthem stock jumps on better health plan enrollment
Investors bid up shares of Anthem Inc. on Tuesday morning after the Indianapolis-based health insurer said its health plan membership ended the year at higher levels than expected.
Once debt-laden, IU Health’s finances in tip-top shape
When CEO Dan Evans relinquishes the reins of Indiana University Health in April, he will hand his successor Dennis Murphy a hospital system with a pristine balance sheet. That’s a big change for IU Health, which when the Great Recession hit was debt-laden and cash-strapped.
There is too much money in unhealthy behavior
I spell out the top 5 reasons, starting with Hoosiers’ poor health, why health care in Indiana is even more messed up than it is around the rest of the country.
Firm aims to nationally distribute brain care innovation
Preferred Population Health Management is trying to get hospital systems, health insurers and area agencies on aging to use a set of tools and techniques to help dementia patients and their families—tools that were developed by the medical staff at Eskenazi Health, the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute.
Purdue life sciences investment plan grows to $250 million
Purdue University plans to hire 60 faculty members in life sciences-related fields, purchase new research equipment and construct more facilities.
Indy firm hits growth stride with benefits software
Indianapolis-based Healthiest Employer LLC expects its Springbuk software for managing wellness programs to triple its clients, revenue and employees this year.
LifeLine expansion part of IU Health’s reform strategy
IU Health effectively started its own ambulance service in December by adding two ambulances to its long-standing LifeLine critical-care service and opening a call center to help other health care providers figure out what level of transport services a particular patient needs.
Indiana health care execs focusing more on IT security
Even excluding the 78.8 million records stolen from health insurer Anthem, the number of patient records stolen from Indiana health care organizations spiraled to 4.3 million from about 69,000 in 2014.
2015 TOP STORIES: IU Health to spend $1B consolidating hospitals
The revamp is designed to help Indianapolis-based system save money in coming decades and to have facilities better suited to changes in health care that have sped up shifts in care from inpatient hospital facilities to outpatient facilities.
2015 NEWSMAKER: Betsy McCaw
The president of the 16 Tech Community Corp. is collaborating with neighborhood leaders as she works to make the massive 16 Tech project a reality.
2015 TOP STORIES: State’ HIP 2.0 signs up 360,000 Hoosiers
The Pence administration expects the program—which uses federal Medicaid money to pay for a state-designed health insurance system—to eventually serve 520,000 participants.