By Anna Skinner
Riverview Health CEO Seth Warren may have presented an update on the Noblesville hospital at the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce luncheon Oct. 26, but the information spanned across the county.
“We are more than just a hospital. We are caring for the patients more than just within the walls of the hospital, but throughout Tipton and Hamilton counties,” Warren said. “We have a number of nursing homes, and as is typical with hospitals, we have a number of services. All of these represent the most important thing that we do, which is caring for patients. Our whole goal is to provide high quality care to our patients and compassionate care to our patients.”
Warren presented on Riverview Health’s stats and said many don’t realize the hospital is county owned.
“We truly are an economic engine. People often don’t understand the relationship of Riverview being a county hospital,” Warren said. “Most county hospitals have the name of the county on them, but back in 1952, the county changed it to Riverview and moved away from Hamilton County Hospital, so unfortunately a lot of people don’t recognize it is owned by the county.”
Because the hospital is owned by Hamilton County, no tax revenue supports Riverview Health. Warren provided statistics and updates on the hospital, including the progress of the Westfield Outpatient Care Center at the northeast corner of U.S. 31 and Ind. 32. Steel was being erected as of Oct. 24, and completion is expected by the fourth quarter of next year. The 100,000-square-foot, six-story care center will be the tallest building in Westfield.
“We are well-established with Noblesville and have a close relationship with Noblesville, but we are also seeing growth to the west of us and are excited to be a part of that growth and funnel those patients over to the main hospital,” Warren said. “It’s going to be rather impressive and a hallmark facility. About 15 or 20 years ago, the growth was in Carmel and Fishers, and you’d see hospitals being built in those communities. Now, the growth has happened north of 146th Street, so we see a lot of other health care systems.”
Riverview Health provides school nursing for Noblesville, Westfield, Sheridan and Hamilton Heights schools as well as athletic training for those schools and Clinton Central.
For more, visit riverview.org.
