INDIANAPOLIS – In appreciation of Sandra Eskenazi’s continued support and generosity, today Eskenazi Health announces the naming of the Sandra Eskenazi Outpatient Care Center, which offers a wide range of hospital-based primary and specialty care services for people of all ages.
Sandy is the daughter of Sidney and Lois Eskenazi, the Central Indiana couple who provided a $40 million gift to the Eskenazi Health Capital Campaign and for whom the Eskenazi Health system is named.
“Eskenazi Health is deeply grateful to Sandy for empowering us and following her parents’ legacy of compassion in serving our community” said Lisa Harris, M.D., chief executive officer of Eskenazi Health. “Sandy’s support reaches beyond any single program or department, enabling our entire model of care. Each one of us involved in the work of Eskenazi Health knows what a difference her commitment and support mean to so many.
“It is truly an honor to see this community come together and continue to support this health system that provides treatment and services to nearly 1 million outpatient visitors each year,” said Matthew Gutwein, president and chief executive officer of the Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County. “We are so very thankful to benefactors such as Sandy who help us better serve our patients and this entire community.”
In 2014, a new cutting-edge technology was made available to patients at the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center because of a generous gift from Sandy.
“Her gift allowed us to dramatically aid countless burn survivors with a new innovative laser therapy,” said Rajiv Sood, M.D., medical director of the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Eskenazi Health. “We continue to be extraordinarily thankful to Sandy for making this revolutionary and life-changing tool available to our patients.”
“The generosity we receive from our donors is crucial to the future success of our health system and ensuring Eskenazi Health continues its role as the city’s essential health system,” said Ernest Vargo II, CFRE, president and chief executive officer of the Eskenazi Health Foundation. “Sandy’s passion and experience working in health care as a physician assistant gives her a very personal perspective on the needs of our patients and care teams.”
In 2015, Sandy also made a gift of $5 million to the Sandra Eskenazi Center for Brain Care Innovation, the new destination of hope for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, late-life onset of depression and anxiety, early schizophrenia and those recovering from time in an intensive care unit.
“Sandy’s generosity has allowed us to open the door to more opportunities of helping those with diseases of the brain – our most precious organ,” said Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH, chief innovation and implementation officer of the Sandra Eskenazi Center for Brain Care Innovation. “At the Sandra Eskenazi Center, we are combining pioneering research and clinical care in order to yield faster and more effective outcomes for our patients and caregivers.”
“The Sandra Eskenazi Center focuses on reaching one of the most vulnerable populations as we work to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness,” said Alan Breier, M.D., director of the Dr. Alan & Diane Breier Prevention and Recovery Center for Early Psychosis (PARC), which is part of the Sandra Eskenazi Center for Brain Care Innovation and is located within the Sandra Eskenazi Outpatient Care Center. “This work is extremely important, and much of it would not be possible without Sandy’s support and commitment to the program.”
Additional services located in the Sandra Eskenazi Outpatient Care Center include on the first floor the St. Margaret’s Outpatient Pharmacy, the Frank & Katrina Basile Financial Counseling Center and the Rapp Family Conference Center. The second floor is devoted to Eskenazi Health Center’s primary care services including pediatrics and adult medicine. The third floor includes surgery, urology, orthopedics, dermatology, anesthesia, pain and ears, nose and throat (ENT) services. The fourth floor includes the infusion center and Eskenazi Health Special Medicine. The fifth floor is devoted to the Center of Excellence in Women’s Health and houses the neurology department. And on the sixth floor, you will find services for senior care.
The Sky Farm is on the roof of the Sandra Eskenazi Outpatient Care Center and is a space for patients, staff and the community to engage with and learn about produce, how it grows and why it’s important for a healthy lifestyle. The Sky Farm includes approximately 5,000 square feet of available growing spaces in which more than 3,000 pounds of produce are harvested every year.
“High-quality health care for all people, regardless of their resources, has always been important to me,” said Sandy Eskenazi. “I am so grateful to again stand beside Eskenazi Health, an essential community institution, as they continue to improve the lives and health of those in Marion County.”
To learn more, please visit EskenaziHealth.edu.
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CONTACT: Tom Surber
Phone: 317.880.4793
Cell: 317.402.9327
Pager: 317.310.5972
Email: thomas.surber@eskenazihealth.edu
For nearly 160 years, Eskenazi Health has provided high-quality, cost-effective, patient-centered health care to the residents of Marion County and Central Indiana. Accredited by The Joint Commission, nationally recognized programs include a Level I trauma center, regional burn center, comprehensive senior care program, women’s and children’s services, teen and adolescent care programs, Eskenazi Health Midtown Community Mental Health, and a network of primary care sites located throughout the neighborhoods of Indianapolis known as Eskenazi Health Center. In partnership with the Regenstrief Institute, Eskenazi Health conducts groundbreaking work that informs health information technology around the globe. Eskenazi Health also serves as the sponsoring hospital for Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services. As the public hospital division of the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC), Eskenazi Health partners with the Indiana University School of Medicine whose physicians provide a comprehensive range of primary and specialty care services. In December 2013, Eskenazi Health moved to its new main campus and opened the brand new Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital. The new modern and efficient facility is Central Indiana’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold health care campus and offers unique features like a one-of-a-kind sky farm and extensive art collection.
Eskenazi Health Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) in 1985. The Foundation contributes leadership, guidance and philanthropic resources to Eskenazi Health and Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC). Charged with helping Eskenazi Health and HHC reach their full potential, the Eskenazi Health Foundation funds key health care initiatives and programs through its philanthropic support; educates the community about the impact of philanthropy on the life-changing work of Eskenazi Health and HHC; provides meaningful opportunities for donor engagement; and grows the strategic impact of the Foundation Board. To learn more about the Eskenazi Health Foundation, please visit www.EskenaziHealthFoundation.org.