Community Hospital East

Community Benefit - East Region

Community Health Network’s oldest roots grow in the East Region, along with some of the most dramatic examples of our impact on and commitment to the community. It was here that our first hospital opened in 1956, and through the years we created many more front doors for care across the region—including sites for urgent care, behavioral health services and outpatient surgery, plus five health pavilions with physician offices and convenient, one-stop care options.

2021 Community Health Needs Assessment - East Region

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I Choose East

The New Community Hospital East

In December 2020, the doors were opened to the new lobby of Community Hospital East, marking the end of a five-year project to reinvest $175 million in the east region by building a new hospital. The new hospital tower includes an all new emergency department, medical imaging, surgery, delivery and inpatient rooms.

New CHE hospital rendering

The New Community East

Eastside Redevelopment Project

Convened by Community Hospital East, the Indianapolis East Redevelopment Committee (IERC) serves as a collaborative platform for addressing quality of life issues on the Eastside of Indianapolis. The organization got its start when Emerson Avenue was in need of repaving from I-70 to 21st Street, and the city looked for community involvement to get the project off the ground.

Eastside redevelopment meeting

Area partners—Community Hospital East, Warren Township Schools, Raytheon, Finish Line, Caito Foods, Indy Chamber, Marriott East and Far Eastside Neighborhood Association— came together, but soon found a greater common interest beyond paving a road: revitalization on the Eastside of Indy.

A foundational initiative of the IERC was the Emerson Corridor Strategy, for which $2.1 million was invested to improve the east side corridor between 16th Street and 21st Street on Emerson Avenue. Planned improvements included upgraded medians and traffic signals, resurfacing/sidewalks, landscaping, a multi-use trail, and neighborhood gateway markers. Several neighborhood groups provided input for the enhancements.

To support the corridor strategy, IERC identified major employers in the area and used this information to expand the reach and grow the numbers of participating businesses and organizations in the community. One of IERC’s strategies for economic development is to provide job resources to graduating students immediately joining the workforce. Other goals of the IERC include emphasizing public safety through community policing and job training programs, showcasing Eastside success stories, and expanding the Emerson Corridor Strategy from 10th Street to Washington Avenue.

Community Collaborations

In 2017, Community Health Network Foundation received $2,560,494 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to address the unmet health-related social needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries on the east side of Indianapolis by bridging the gap between clinical and community service providers. The work is expected to reach more than 70,000 residents.

Today, under the leadership of John Kunzer, MD, and president of Community Physician Network, initial funding is being used to start tackling housing instability, food insecurity, utility limitations, interpersonal violence and transportation access. This work is called Community Collaborations. Learn more about this critical work in this video.

Educational Partnerships

Education plays a strong role in enhancing well-being, which is why we build vital connections to schools in all of our regions. In the East Region, we partner with Warren Township schools in multiple ways:

  • Provide school nurses to meet the wellness needs of students.
  • Operate an employer clinic that makes it easier for teachers, staff and their families to get well and stay healthy.
  • Help school athletes perform their best with a variety of sports medicine services.