Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital facts for kids

Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital
Eskenazi Health
Eskenazi Hospital's main entrance in 2017.
Geography
Location	720 Eskenazi Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Coordinates	39°46′38.1″N 86°10′59.6″W / 39.777250°N 86.183222°W / 39.777250; -86.183222
Organization
Funding	Non-profit hospital
Hospital type	Public
Affiliated university	None
Patron	None
Network	Eskenazi Health
Services
Emergency department	Level I trauma center
Helipad	Yes
Beds	315
History
Founded	1859

The Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital is a big hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. It's the main hospital for Eskenazi Health. This healthcare system started way back in 1859. That makes it Indiana's oldest public healthcare system! The hospital is run by the Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County. The building you see today opened on December 7, 2013. It replaced an older hospital called Wishard Memorial Hospital.

Many of the 4,620 medical staff at Eskenazi Hospital are from the nearby Indiana University School of Medicine. This includes teachers, doctors in training, and students.

A Look Back: Hospital History

An infant operating table in Wishard Hospital, around 1916.

This hospital first opened in 1859. It was called Indianapolis City Hospital back then. It was built because of a smallpox outbreak in the city. During the American Civil War, the hospital helped a lot of soldiers. About 13,000 sick and hurt soldiers from the Union Army were treated here. After the war, the hospital went back to serving the community. In 1943, it became the first hospital in the U.S. to use two-way radios to send ambulances.

In the 1900s, the main hospital was at 1001 West 10th Street. Its name changed a few times. It was called Indianapolis General Hospital in 1947. Then it became Marion County General Hospital in 1959. Finally, in 1975, it was named Wishard Memorial Hospital. This new name honored Dr. William N. Wishard, a very important doctor in Indianapolis. Wishard Memorial became Indiana's first certified Level I trauma center in 1992. A trauma center is a special place for very serious injuries.

The old hospital buildings were getting old and not working as well. So, plans were made to build a brand new hospital. In 2009, most voters in Marion County agreed to pay for a new public medical center. On June 22, 2011, it was announced the new hospital would be named after Sidney and Lois Eskenazi. They are real estate developers and gave $40 million to help build the new hospital.

The Modern Hospital Building

Construction for the new Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital began in 2010. It cost $754 million to build. The hospital opened its doors on December 7, 2013. It sits on about 37 acres of land on the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. The hospital building itself is huge. It covers 1,200,000 square feet and has 11 floors above ground. It stands 280 feet tall! There's also a large parking garage with 2,700 spaces connected to the hospital.

Eskenazi Hospital has 315 beds for patients who stay overnight. It also has 200 exam rooms and 17 operating rooms for surgeries. There are 12 rooms for labor and delivery. It has Central Indiana's only adult burn center. It is also one of only three Adult Level I trauma centers in the state.

Eco-Friendly and Healthy Choices

Eskenazi Hospital is a very green building. In 2015, it earned a special award called LEED Gold. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This award means the hospital was built in a way that helps the environment. It was the first hospital in Indiana to get this high award.

The hospital's front entrance has a beautiful 1.5-acre plaza. It's called The Commonground. This outdoor space has 5,000 plants, a cool trellis sculpture, and comfy places to sit. There's also a fountain called Healing Waters. The Frank & Katrina Basile Pavilion is part of the plaza. It has a restaurant called Duos that serves local food. The Commonground opened in July 2014.

Eskenazi Hospital is also known for its focus on healthy hospital food. They grow and serve local food options. In 2016, a group called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine praised Eskenazi. They ranked it sixth out of 24 hospitals nationwide. This was for offering fresh vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy choices. The hospital even grows about two tons of food each year! This comes from its 5,000-square-foot rooftop gardens, called the Sky Farm. The hospital tries to buy 40 percent of its food from Indiana farms and suppliers. They serve about 113,000 meals every month.

Hospital Art Collection

Hoosier Group painter T. C. Steele's Four Seasons on display at Eskenazi.

The Eskenazi Health Art Collection is a big part of the hospital's focus on wellness. It has more than 30 artworks on display for everyone to see. Many of these permanent art pieces have won national awards.