Fairbanks School of Public Health Blog – Improving the health of Indiana and beyond

Navigating Postpartum During a Pandemic: Staff Shares Her Story

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

Any’e Carson, ECHO Program Coordinator, with daughter Avianna

As with most of us, 2020 has been a year of major transition for Any’e Carson, ECHO Program Coordinator within the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health ECHO Center. Late last year, life changed for Carson when she found out she was expecting a baby girl who would arrive in May 2020.

While navigating pregnancy and mom life for the first time has been a challenge, Carson has found ways to thrive in her new normal. When she returned to work following her maternity leave, she helped her team launch a new virtual program that provides training to health professionals treating COVID-19, all while learning the ins and outs of motherhood and adjusting to life during a pandemic.

We sat down with Carson to hear her story and learn just how she’s managing it all.

Pregnant During a Pandemic

“Once the first case was confirmed in Marion County, I began to worry about what would happen to my baby if I contracted COVID-19,” Carson said. “There wasn’t much information out about [its impact on] pregnant women at the time.”

Fortunately, soon after the first coronavirus case was reported in Indiana, Carson would have the opportunity to work from home.

“By the first or second week in March, IU campuses closed and we were advised to work remotely. I was happy to be at home. I knew I could continue all of my responsibilities, so I didn’t have an issue with it.”

While the pandemic didn’t severely alter Carson’s work life, it did affect her pregnancy plans quite a bit.

“I didn’t have a baby shower, and with it being my first pregnancy, not having a baby shower was disappointing,” Carson said. “I also didn’t do professional pregnancy photos or have newborn photos.”

With the challenges, however, Carson said her mom has been such a big support. She helped Carson take maternity photos, as well as organize her registry and electronic thank you notes.

“My baby ended up very blessed and I’m grateful for the gifts she received.”

Postpartum During a Pandemic

The ECHO Center was still operating remotely when Carson’s maternity leave ended, allowing her to stay home longer with her daughter and transition at her own pace.

“I did not want to put my daughter in child care, and at the time I was returning to work, many daycares were still closed or had an even longer waitlist,” Carson said. “The transition back to work was a little rough…like I would mess up something or forget systems I had in place to do my job, but after the second full week back, I felt more in a groove.”

Today, Carson is still working from home while caring for her daughter, Avianna, who is now five months old. And she believes her new-mom schedule pairs well with her work schedule.

“I’m an early bird, so it’s easier for me to get to work around 7am because all I have to do is get out of the bed. I try to keep the same routines and deadlines as I had in the office.”

In response to the pandemic, Carson helped her team launch a new ECHO dedicated to COVID-19, an effort that required longer hours than usual.

“I did find work hours longer when I was helping to launch the COVID-19 ECHO. Now that the program is on a regular schedule, I work behind the scenes organizing content speakers and recruiting patient cases for the group to discuss.”

In her role, Carson executes multiple initiatives for the ECHO Center’s teleECHO programs, which offer virtual collaborative learning for primary care providers treating patients who identify as LGBTQ+, as well as those with conditions such as Hepatitis C (HCV), HIV, cancer, pain management, and COVID-19.

“In any given week, I’m building relationships among our participants, arranging content for upcoming sessions, and reporting program metrics. Other ECHOs I coordinate are the HIV ECHO and Cancer ECHO program, which launches year two in October.”

Peace During a Pandemic

How she manages it all? Carson credits her support system, and encourages other new moms to not only do the same, but also figure out ways to maintain that system.

“I have such a strong support system and am grateful to talk with my mom and friends about challenges,” she said. “I downloaded an app called Peanut where I could connect with women at different stages in life, and that helped me see that I wasn’t the only one anxious about the pandemic. There’s also Facebook groups where moms have a space to vent to one another.”

Carson makes an effort to prioritize self-care, another practice she strongly suggests for new moms. She enjoys exercising, cooking new foods, watching her favorite shows, and having DIY spa days.

“I recently launched a blog and am working on a podcast – so that has been my recent hobby. I also enjoy date nights like game night, painting, and movie night with my husband.”

Above all, Carson believes it is most important for new moms to follow the public health precautions that have been given.

“Ultimately, follow precautions and take care of your health. I still avoid crowds and still do grocery-pickup. And when your baby is born, stand your ground about people following precautions that would like to see the baby.”

Carson said there are still family members who have not seen her daughter because of COVID-19.

“For women who are pregnant or trying to conceive, always remember to take your prenatal vitamins. Particularly for Black women, please seek prenatal care as soon as you can and with a medical team you are comfortable with.”

Carson is settling in to her new normal and finding ways to enjoy the changes along the way, like her daughter’s budding personality.

“She’s entering a phase where she is expressive and silly. I love how happy she gets when she sees me after waking up.”

To learn more about programs offered by the ECHO Center at Fairbanks, visit our website.

Pandemic Leads MPH Student to a Remote Internship Like None Other

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

By Crystal Jones

Afsah Amin is pursuing a Masters of Public Health in epidemiology and plans to graduate in December of 2021. She immigrated from Pakistan after receiving her medical training as an anesthesiologist and decided to transition from a clinical role to a research scientist role to impact more people. As she was making this decision, her mentors encouraged her to pursue a masters of public health to brush up on skills related to clinical research.

Amin was impressed with the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health after speaking with Sue Hancock, a member of the student services team who helped make the process easy. As she progressed through the program, she looked at the traditional internship options available, but none of the ones she identified spoke to her.

“I was interested in understanding real-world evidence generation, which is something that I knew an internship at Eli Lilly could provide,” she said. Amin then spoke with an alumni board member, Megan Klopchin, who works at Eli Lilly and Company as a Consultant in Policy Research in the Global Patient Outcomes & Real World Evidence (RWE) Department. Klopchin connected Amin to a few scientists on the Lilly team who agreed to serve as preceptors. “Lilly has an ongoing relationship with Fairbanks and hosting an intern from the school was an exciting opportunity to continue to strength it.”

The collaboration between Amin, Klopchin, and the Lilly Scientists led to the creation of an academic science internship experience for Amin, unlike any other. The internship was developed around her specific skillset and the goals that she was hoping to achieve.

“The experience of working in a multi-functional team and leading those projects with experienced and expert members was very exciting,” Amin said. “It was a collaborative environment and a unique experience to gain everyone’s perspective when creating a research study. The assessment of databases in the RWE department helped me understand the availability and uniqueness of the type of data generated from insurance claim databases.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Amin had set a goal to connect with professionals at Lilly and interact with them in a meaningful way. When the epidemic occurred, Amin was told she would have to complete the internship remotely. She worried that remote learning, coupled with her lack of experience in real world evidence would impact her ability to make meaningful connections with her colleagues. However, after Lilly’s workforce all shifted remotely, she found that the pandemic would not affect her ability to gain immense value from the internship and that individuals had more time to spend with her.

“My learning was not impacted as much as I worried. I still had meetings with my preceptors, and I gained experience collaborating with Microsoft teams. This allowed me to collaborate on projects at the same time as team members. Everyone was very accessible, more so than I believe they would have been if travel restrictions were not in place.”

Klopchin believes that Amin excelled because of her passion to help patients and robust technical skills in public health and encourages other organizations to host interns despite concerns around remote internships. Likewise, Amin encourages students to be very agile and open to evolving their internship experiences during this challenging time.

Employers and students interested in learning more about internship experiences through the Fairbanks School of Public Health should contact Amelia Hurt at amehurt@iu.edu or 317-278-8415.

Ask the Experts: How Can I Prepare for Winter?

Posted on October 6, 2020 by amanbrig

By Amanda Briggs

Because of COVID-19, this winter is going to look different for most of us. We spoke with Fairbanks School of Public Health epidemiologists Shandy Dearth, MPH, and Thomas Duszynski, MPH, to understand what we can do to prepare for winter this year.

What can I do in the next month to be ready for winter?
Try to get your flu shot by the end of October, before influenza season reaches its peak. It is possible to get co-infected with the flu and COVID-19. The good news is that the tools we have to fight COVID-19 infections, work on the flu as well:

Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
Stay physically distant (at least six feet from others).
Wash your hands (frequently with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds).
Put together a ‘ready bag’ in case you get COVID-19 and need to move to alternate housing to isolate yourself.
Buy a thermometer and know how to take your temperature, so that if you are sick, you can report a fever to your health care provider.
Work out a plan with your roommate (if you have one) about what to do if one of you becomes ill. Do they know how to contact your family? Can you quarantine in your apartment while using a different restroom? Planning now can help alleviate stress later.

How should I handle the holidays?
Remember, you can be infected with COVID-19 and not show any signs or symptoms and still be infectious. While you want to visit family and friends, keep in mind those that are immunocompromised or of older age that are at greater risk of severe outcomes. Consider seeing grandma and grandpa outdoors with a mask on and avoiding hugs this holiday so you can have more holidays with them in the future.

Also, get your flu shot well before visiting or entertaining family and loved ones this year. If you get the flu, you will have symptoms that resemble COVID-19, and your school/employer will quarantine you until you have proof that these symptoms are not caused by COVID-19. Keeping the flu out of the mix helps everyone better assess and respond to the situation.

Is it safe to go outside during the winter?
Being outdoors minimizes your risk of being infected with COVID-19 as long as you are physically distant and wear a mask when with others outdoors.

snow falling in the hine hall courtyard — A very snowy IUPUI campus on Saturday March 24, 2018. Credit: Liz Kaye, IUPUI.

Can I see my friends?
Yes, if you can do it safely. Staying distant, outside, while wearing a mask are ways to protect you and them. Sitting around a campfire, keeping warm, roasting marshmallows, while staying six feet apart is a great way to reconnect and protect everyone. Indianapolis has a great trail system that is fun to explore. Be creative. Try something new outdoors with your friends.

Am I really going to be stuck inside all winter?
Finding or trying a new hobby is a great way to protect you and others during this winter. These can include outdoor hobbies. The key is to wear a mask when others are present and keeping that six-foot distance. Don’t forget to wash your hands as well.

You can also sign up for a winter class session at FSPH. It may be a great time to get ahead on a couple of credits so you can free up some time for yourself next spring and/or summer.

If we are in Stage 5 in Indiana, why do we still have to wear a mask?
This is important, because Stage 5 doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. It means that we can re-open businesses as long as we are physically distant and minimize the risk of infection. If rates of infections, hospitalizations and mortality rise, then the state may have no choice but to close businesses again as well as schools. We all want to stay on campus, and the only way to do that is to use the public health tools we have to fight this pandemic.

Alumna Helps Hoosier Village Residents Adjust Amidst Pandemic

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

Morgan Branning, BSHSM’20

By Crystal Jones

Morgan Branning, BSHSM’20, developed a passion for elder care as a certified nursing assistant, a position she held as a student at the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health. Branning believes that experience and the long-term care administration class she took with Professor Gary Brumitt helped her identify a meaningful career path.

“I really loved the courses that the school of public health offered, Branning said. “They were all so interesting, and the faculty is amazing.”

Shortly after enrolling in the long-term care class, Branning noticed that the school was hosting its annual internship day. Through that event, she discovered an opportunity at CarDon and Associates, a long-term care facility in Indiana, that she pursued and was chosen for.

Her administrative internship solidified all of the reasons she loves working with the elderly population, and she now has a goal to become a nursing home administrator.

“The internship jumpstarted my passion and opened my eyes to what I wanted to do as a career,” Branning said. “After the internship, I was provided the opportunity to apply for a position in the health center at Hoosier Village as the activities director. I am also pursuing my Masters of Business Administration through the University of Southern Indiana.”

Branning, who was on the Executive Board of the Undergraduate Student Association, encourages other students to take advantage of the opportunities they can have as a student, such as interacting with faculty and engaging in activities. She also encourages current students to get involved.

“Read the undergraduate newsletter every week, there are a lot of opportunities included in the newsletter.”

As an activities director at Hoosier Village, Branning leads several activities each hour of the day. Prior to COVID-19, these included group activities such as exercise classes or religious services. Once the COVID-19 pandemic began, the facility needed to shift these activities to personal visits to meet the residents’ individual needs.

“These individual meetings have allowed me to get to know the residents very well. I enjoy it, as I am able to meet around 20 residents a day and participate in everything from working on a puzzle to discussing the daily paper.” In addition to Branning’s visits, residents of Hoosier Village have also started social distance visits with family members.

“It has been great to begin socially-distant visits for residents and their families. During the lockdown, I wasn’t able to meet many family members, and it’s been great to build these relationships with individuals who visit regularly. It means so much to the residents.”

Isolation, Quarantine and Contact Tracing: Why They Are Equally Important

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

By Adrianne Robertson

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, contact tracing has become a household term. Yet, there still seems to be a bit of haze around what it is. The Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, in collaboration with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Marion County Public Health Department, has received $10.5 million to expand contact tracing in Marion County.

Through December 31, 2020, the Fairbanks School will hire, train and manage more than 300 contact tracers to track the spread of COVID-19 in Marion County, but what exactly are tracers responsible for?

After a person tests positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), a contact tracer will call this person to begin the process of tracing everyone they may have had close contact with recently. Close contacts are those who were within 6 feet of the infected individual for at least 15 minutes. The full process typically resembles the following.

A contact tracer will:

Call the infected person to begin the tracking process
Ask questions about the person’s activities the past week (or so) to identify everyone they were in close contact with while possibly infected
Make recommendations for next steps and share resources available to make isolation/quarantine possible
Repeat this process by reaching out to others (close contacts) to inform them that they may have been exposed to the virus

A contact tracer will NOT ask:

For your social security number
For money or payment of any type
For photographs or videos of any type
Passwords or any other type of account information

Once the close contacts have been identified, they are informed of their potential exposure — while maintaining the anonymity of the person who might have exposed them.

Whether an infected person displays symptoms or not, they could be contagious for up to 10 days after testing positive. It is also possible for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals to pass the virus on to others, which is why it is important for all infected persons to isolate themselves for at least 10 days after testing positive.

Isolation v Quarantine: The Breakdown

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should go into isolation to avoid infecting others. That could mean separating yourself from others in your home who are not infected, or leaving your home altogether (i.e. staying in a hotel). For college students, isolation could mean staying in a different dorm (which is a resource for IUPUI students living on campus) or returning to your guardian’s home temporarily.

If you might have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you should quarantine for 14 days from the time of exposure and monitor your health closely. Quarantine helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 that can happen before a person knows they are infected with the virus or displays any symptoms. These individuals are top priority as they are considered the leading edge of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Contact Tracing Playbook, published by Resolve to Save Lives, provides clear and actionable technical guidance and tools for U.S. health departments to rapidly set up and implement contact tracing to support COVID-19 containment (learn more about Box It In).

Box It In Graphic — Contact tracing will be a key component of any successful suppression effort to “box in” COVID-19. Learn about the Box It In plan.

What You Can Do to Help

Regardless of where you live in Indiana, there are several steps you can take to help with COVID-19 contact tracing and slowing the spread of the virus:

Answer the call/text – While ignoring unknown numbers has grown common, now is the time to be more responsive. Indiana contact tracers will text/call from the number 877-548-3444 or 833-670-0067. The caller ID may display as “IN Health COVID.” Accepting the call and responding could help keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy, and there are ways to ensure the call is legitimate.
Check voicemail – If you miss a call or aren’t comfortable answering unknown calls, take the next best step and listen to your voicemail. Yes, contact tracers will leave a message. If the call is not answered within the first day, you should either receive a written letter by mail or a home visit. A door hanger may be left behind if no one is home that asks you to contact the call center at a phone number provided.
Be honest – Don’t be hesitant to share what you know and your recent whereabouts. And if you’re a member of the IU community, be sure to submit a report. Students and employees can help IU’s contact tracing efforts by sharing information about their positive COVID-19 test results or if they are a close contact through the COVID-19 Self-Reporting Form accessible via iu.edu.
Use precaution – Whether or not you have been infected or exposed, continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, and wash your hands frequently.

Also keep in mind that it is possible that a person could receive contact tracing calls from more than one contact tracer, but it is recommended to cooperate with each call. In any case, remember that the person calling is a human being and strive to treat them with kindness.

If a resident in Indiana does not respond to the call from the state contact tracers, a representative from the local health department may reach out via phone or in person to collect the necessary information to help control the disease spread.

“The faster we can accomplish contact tracing, the fewer people will need to be quarantined,” said Shandy Dearth, director of undergraduate epidemiology education at the Fairbanks School.

“We encourage people who have been exposed to someone who tests positive for the novel coronavirus to quarantine themselves to minimize transmission of the virus and consider getting tested at one of the many free testing sites available throughout Indiana.”

Fairbanks Student Joins Alumnus in Fulfilling Indiana Donor Network Mission

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

Mark Back, MPH’15

By Crystal Jones

Mark Back, MPH’15 knew when he graduated from the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health that he would like to stay engaged with the program. At Indiana Donor Network, where he serves as the Manager of Marketing and Communications, he has done just that. For the past three semesters, his department has worked with current students through their internship program.

Most recently, he has worked with Emily Muller, a student in the MPH/MHA Dual Degree program who will graduate in December 2021. Emily serves as an Assistant Marketing Coordinator at Indiana Donor Network. Below, Mark and Emily share experiences and lessons they have learned at the Indiana Donor Network.

“How did you and Emily begin working together?”

Mark: We hire interns in many of the 16 departments at Indiana Donor Network. The department I manage normally onboards interns for the summer event season, when they help with public outreach and communication. This has not been a typical year, of course, but our interns who are not managing events are still doing valuable work with the team. They certainly help manage responsibilities, that due to capacity, our team wouldn’t have a chance to do.

How did you learn about the internship, Emily?

Emily Muller, MPH/MHA Student

Emily: I learned about the internship when I graduated from the University of Kentucky in May of 2019, right before I became a Fairbanks student. I applied for this position over LinkedIn, and when I completed the interview process, I realized how passionate I was about the mission. It was such an incredible opportunity that I chose to move once I got accepted into the MHA/MPH program.

Emily, what were the expectations for the internship? And how are those different from the experience?

Emily: I didn’t know what to expect as an intern since I had already completed my bachelor’s degree. I wasn’t sure what responsibilities I would be given, but I was hopeful that it would be more than past internships. I knew I would be doing tabling events, activations, and helping with our foundation events. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how much autonomy I’ve had. I’ve been able to voice my opinion on what projects I am working on. I’ve appreciated how much trust the team has had in me.

Mark, what were your expectations in managing an intern, and how has that been different?

Mark: We operate at a very fast pace here. Our expectation for any new hire, including interns, is for that person to be a self-starter. We know that interns will need leadership and guidance, but we also need someone who takes initiative in their work. Emily helps catch things that even our full-time professionals sometimes do not catch, and that’s been very helpful for our team.

How have you had to adjust the internship during COVID-19 and the need to work in a remote environment?

Mark: Internal communication was vital during this time, and our team connected electronically quite a bit during the early stages of the pandemic. I encourage my team to over-communicate under normal circumstances: If you feel like you are sending too many emails about a project, send one more. When we started teleworking, this became even more important. In terms of the internship program, we canceled most of our events. So, we shifted our hiring process internship program timeline from a summer experience to a fall experience. We also shifted their responsibilities from event support to copywriting, project coordination, and other tasks. Our careers page on our webpage lists all of the internships that are available now.

Emily: I was nervous about going remote. A huge part of my position is to work on our events, and we weren’t doing that for months on end. I was nervous that I would lose connections or even the internship, but the Indiana Donor Network team is very collaborative. While it has been difficult being apart, we have shifted to planning for future events and accomplishing a number of projects that we have long dreamed about now that the team had time to accomplish those projects.

What has occurred at the Indiana Donor Network throughout the pandemic that you are both proud of?

Emily: Our mission is always at the forefront of everything we do; it guides everything. We are always asking if something fits into our guiding principles, and if it doesn’t, we adjust. I think that’s special because many organizations say that, but we take the time to prioritize it at Indiana Donor Network. Our clinical teams have made sure that donation and transplantation doesn’t suffer during the pandemic. It is life changing work, and in July we had a record month of organs transplanted.

Mark: Before the pandemic started, our senior leadership had a vision to start doing organ recovery at our headquarters as opposed to in hospital operating rooms. At that point, we thought we were still more than a year away from making that a reality. Because of the pandemic, and the strain it was placing on hospitals, our organization compressed the timeline for that initiative to a matter of weeks. We opened the Indiana Donor Network Organ and Tissue Recovery Center, complete with ICU and surgical suite, here at our headquarters in May. It required the collaboration of every single department in our organization, and I was proud that our team could be a part of that.

Final question, how did your time as a student help you manage this current situation?

Emily: The management and strategic skills I have learned through the MHA program have impacted my confidence. I know that if I am assigned a project, I can do it well, and I can manage my time correctly and the program set me up for that. The rigor of the program and the expectations of the faculty have aided me. The public health program has helped me understand the social determinants of health. Having the base knowledge has helped me serve all populations of registered and unregistered organ donors. It has been vital to understanding all populations.

Mark: I’ve relied on my education to help me in my leadership role. The policy education I received at Fairbanks has been an easy transition and application to communications. A lot of the same issues and pitfalls in health policy nationwide come down to communication. Having the baseline knowledge and a good understanding of the health care system, and how different communities relate to the healthcare system, has given me a rock-solid foundation to rely on.

Mark and Emily encourage students never to pass up an opportunity and actively look for ways to get outside of their comfort zone. Both feel that growth occurs when individuals step out of their comfort zone. Learn more about the MPH and MHA programs on fsph.iupui.edu!

Alumnus Shares How Pandemic Proves Telemedicine Useful for Patients

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

Asad Zaman, MHA’12

By Crystal Jones

Asad Zaman, MHA’12, has served as the Director of Transplant Services for three years at the Hillman Center for Pediatric Transplantation at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Prior to the pandemic, most of Zaman’s meetings revolved around regulatory awareness and readiness for his team’s collaborative pediatric transplant programs.

Zaman was prepared to shift quickly and think outside of the box when reconsidering the practices’ traditional working methods; preparation he thanks the MHA program at the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health for.

“One of the first things I had to consider is that our patient population is all immunocompromised after receiving a transplant,” Zaman said. “We had to find ways for our staff to work with an immunocompromised population without having to bring them onsite and risk their exposure to COVID-19.”

This forward-thinking helped UPMC become one of the first healthcare systems in the country to receive funding from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) through the COVID-19 Telehealth Program Fund.

These funds from the FCC through the CARES Act provide telehealth services to organ transplant pediatric patients who are immunocompromised and at an increased risk of getting COVID-19.

“We were the first children’s hospital in the country to receive this funding,” he said. “The chief of pediatric transplantation, myself and another partner helped us figure out how much data we would need, what kind of devices we would need, and what our patient population could benefit from through the use of telemedicine. We worked quickly, and when we received notice that we were one of the first six awardees, we were thrilled to support our patients this way.”

There are nearly 1,000 post-transplant patients that UPMC Children’s treats on a regular basis and many are from out-of-state.

Zaman believes that telemedicine is a critical way to support patients keeping them healthy and safe, and the pandemic has shown how useful telemedicine can be for patients.

“We provide psychological services for our transplant patients. All of our psychologists can see their patients right now through telemedicine. Telehealth appointments have reduced the patients’ burdens. They find more ease in scheduling appointments, and they are no longer paying for parking or navigating the hospital. They get to avoid exposure at a critical time in their recovery. It’s been a real benefit for the individuals we serve. Our patients love it and feel that they have received the same level of care.”

Since graduating, Zaman has stayed active with the MHA program. He attends the ACHE conference every chance he gets, and often mentors students, as this was a valuable piece of his time as an MHA student. Today, he encourages MHA students to get involved in an internship or healthcare experience that engages with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The lessons we will learn during this short period will never go away, and these lessons will have implications for how the healthcare industry moves forward in the future.”

Alumni Spotlight: Why Janet Henderson Chose Health Administration

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

By Crystal Jones

Alumni Career Profile: Janet Henderson
Master of Healthcare Administration, 1994

Janet Henderson graduated from the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program in 1994 before successfully launching a healthcare administration career in Indiana, Texas, and Illinois. Crystal Jones, Director of Development & Alumni Relations, spoke with Henderson to learn about what inspired her to pursue a career in health administration.

When Henderson began her educational career at Indiana University, she wanted to be a doctor. However, before entering the next phase of her educational career, she called IUPUI. She called simply to learn more about non-clinical healthcare administration programs. After speaking with the admissions coordinator, she left on her lunch break to enroll in the MHA program, as it was the last day of official registration.

“I had spent a lot of time trying to figure out a leadership role in a hospital setting that would allow me to work with medical staff and patients,” Henderson said. “When I called, I immediately took action because it met both my desires to interact with patients and medical staff. I do not think online enrollment was available at the time. It was a commitment to register, and I am so glad I took immediate action and enrolled in the MHA program.”

When she reflects on her career, Henderson is proud of how her career progression has allowed her to impact healthcare patients through decisions that improve patient care.

“As a healthcare administrator, I have been able to make decisions that have allowed me to positively impact the patient experience. It is extremely rewarding to know that you are making a difference.”

Henderson started her career in Indiana and then moved to Texas to do her administrative residency at Parkland Hospital. Parkland Hospital is one of the largest public hospital systems in the country. The hospital treats over 1 million patients a year and the patient population is truly diverse. During her residency, she was exposed to many things that she would not have the opportunity to experience in any other hospital or market. “A common expression at Parkland is once you have worked at Parkland, you can work anywhere.”

When Henderson worked at the American Hospital Association (AHA), she saw just how much regional views and issues impact healthcare policy and legislation. “Texas is a very conservative state and its healthcare regulations, policies, and/or laws are probably going to be a lot different than a more liberal state like California. An example is the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). California embraced Medicaid expansion whereas Texas did not. It is especially important that healthcare leaders understand what is happening at both the state and federal levels – it has an impact on patient care and the viability of the organization.

Henderson credits the MHA program and relevant course work for being a contributing factor to her success. She encourages current students to remain agile, while learning as much as they can about the current healthcare landscape. “The market has changed dramatically since I graduated, and it continues to change at a very rapid pace. Yet, the MHA program has been extremely helpful. I’ve utilized the content in every position I have had.”

Henderson said students should have a base of knowledge about where the healthcare industry has been and where it is going. “Take your time to learn the industry. Use your resources and build your network by connecting with those who are in the field. Additionally, do not only look at hospitals as places of employment. Other organizations are part of the healthcare landscape. Don’t limit yourself to only one environment.”

Fairbanks Student Helps Radiology Department Shift Focus to COVID-19

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

By Adrianne Robertson

Michelle Martin, a Health Services Management student at the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, is currently working as an office supervisor in the Radiology Department at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center. Since early March when the COVID-19 pandemic ensued, Martin said the radiology department at IU Health has seen many changes.

“We went from our normal schedule to, almost overnight, only having around 25% of our normal volume,” Martin said. “A decent portion of our volume comes from primary care offices and surgery clinics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, both of those entities shifted to either virtual visits or to very low volume due to many surgeries being considered ‘elective.’”

Martin’s team also stopped offering screening exams, such as mammography and CT lung screenings. With the newfound time, they were able to assist with IU Health’s COVID-19 response.

“For nearly two months, we closed our main X-ray area and all but two of my staff (including myself) joined the reallocation pool where we were given other tasks to help areas that needed more support,” she said. “Some staff members were sent to COVID-19 testing sites, information desks, and door screenings. I was given the task of making sure all of these people were still getting paid.”

At the beginning of May, Martin’s team returned to their home departments. Since then, the radiology department has slowly increased to normal volumes. In an effort to protect patients and staff, Martin said her team is taking new safety measures.

“We are now tasked with making sure patients are staying socially distant from each other, are properly wearing their masks, and cleaning chairs, pens, clipboards, counters, and everything else patients and staff touch throughout their visit.

“I think the most difficult thing has been reassuring our patients and staff that we are doing everything we can to keep them safe, while also getting push back from some patients who don’t agree with everything we do (like requiring masks and not allowing visitors or chaperones). It has been a wild ride the past four months and quite an interesting time to be in the healthcare field.”

Learn more about the Health Services Management program at FSPH, or share your COVID-19 efforts with us to be featured on the blog!

Fairbanks Welcomes New Alumni Board Officers and Members

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Adrianne Robertson

By Crystal Jones

The IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health Alumni Board is pleased to welcome new alumni board officers and board members. Together, the board will be leading alumni engagement activities through the 2020-21 school year. This year, the following individuals will be serving as officers:

Elizabeth Bowman, MPH 2014 – Alumni Board Chair
Jason Ravenscroft, MPH 2003 – Vice President
Aleks Overbey, MHA 2013 – Secretary/Treasurer

New alumni board members include:

Jyotsna Gutta, MPH 2019
Tim Miller, BSPH 1988
Andrew Pappas, MPH 2012
Jessica Sparks, BSHSM 2016

Congratulations to all of the newly elected officers and board members! For a listing of the full alumni board roster, visit the alumni section of the FSPH website. The FSPH Alumni Board is responsible for assisting with alumni programming and activities that enhance the lives of students and alumni engaged with the Fairbanks School of Public Health.

Members participate in committees responsible for increasing alumni engagement, supporting the goals of the Fairbanks School of Public Health, and participating in IUAA programs and events. Nominations for board members are accepted year-round, and elections are held each spring.

For more information, contact Crystal Jones, director of development and alumni relations at crmjones@iu.edu.