IN Pulse – February 9, 2026
2026 | Issue 6 – Hospital Expansion • Maternity Closures • Financial Divide • Leadership Moves
Trendline Health | IN Pulse | 2026 | Issue 6
Growth & Finance
West Lafayette unanimously approves $200M Parkview hospital despite cost concerns
West Lafayette City Council gave final rezoning approval for Parkview Health to build a 40-bed, full-service hospital in Purdue Research Park, targeting 2028 opening and 460 new jobs. Council members acknowledged Parkview’s national reputation for high commercial rates (top 10% in cost per Guardian and RAND studies) but said competition with the nearby IU Health Arnett facility (opening late 2027) and Parkview’s cost-reduction initiatives outweighed risks.
“The desire for a hospital in West Lafayette has been long-standing” –Stacey Burr, District 6 representative
Johnson Memorial Health shutters maternity unit, cuts ~48 jobs citing unsustainable losses
Franklin-based Johnson Memorial Health will close its Maternity Care Center in 2026 — the 16th Indiana hospital maternity unit shuttered since 2020 — because Medicaid (57% cost coverage) and Medicare (82%) reimbursements, plus aggressive commercial denials, make OB financially untenable. CEO Dr. David Dunkle said 40% of deliveries were Medicaid and the unit had been a consistent negative despite quality awards; the closure follows $1B projected annual statewide hospital losses.
The RepublicCommunity Hospital North delivers most Indiana babies for 11th straight year — 4,254 in 2024
Indianapolis’ Community Hospital North led the state with 4,254 births (60 twin sets, 810 NICU admissions) in 2024, per Indiana Department of Health data; Community Health Network totalled 7,923 deliveries across five hospitals.
WISH-TVEmployers’ Forum disputes IHA’s distress narrative; Indiana hospitals show stark gaps in finances
The Employers’ Forum of Indiana’s review of 2024 Medicare Cost Reports finds no uniform crisis: statewide net profit margin averaged 12.9% (43% above national 9.0%), driven by 51 highly profitable hospitals, while 32 facilities lost money (16 at -15% or worse, collective -$337M). Operating margins were weaker than national averages (-4.8% vs. -3.9%), but EFI argues net income (including investments, grants, retail and parking) gives the truer picture and calls for targeted, not blanket, relief. IHA President Scott Tittle pushed back hard, calling the analysis misleading.
Indiana Capital Chronicle | Employers’ Forum Review (PDF)Moody’s downgrades Parkview Health to A1 citing heavy capital spending and softer operations
Moody’s lowered Parkview Health’s credit rating from Aa3 to A1 (stable outlook), pointing to normalized operating performance below historical levels and large upcoming capital needs — including southern expansion — likely requiring more debt. Analysts expect cash on hand near 250 days and operating cash flow margins of 5–6%.
Becker’s Hospital Review
Workforce & Leadership
Riverview Health names Julie Nix new CEO effective April 2026
Noblesville-based Riverview Health tapped Julie Nix, a 25-year healthcare executive most recently in Little Rock, Arkansas, as its next CEO. She succeeds interim leadership and will oversee the system’s 156-bed flagship, 16-bed Westfield hospital, ER/urgent cares and 10 primary locations.
Riverview HealthDeaconess Health appoints Jared Stimpson VP of Critical Access Hospitals
Evansville-based Deaconess Health System promoted Jared Stimpson — former president/CEO of Perry County Memorial Hospital and prior regional CFO — to vice president of its critical access hospitals.
Becker’s Hospital Review
Innovation & Tech • Mergers & Acquisitions
RadNet enters Indiana with $18M-revenue purchase of six Northwest Radiology outpatient centers
RadNet acquired six freestanding imaging centers from 60-year-old Indianapolis-based Northwest Radiology (primarily in Carmel), gaining an $18 million annual revenue foothold in a fast-growing market. Northwest’s 18 radiologists will continue providing services under contract; RadNet aims to deploy AI-powered workflows and shift toward preventive detection.
Radiology BusinessVMG Health acquires Burrows Consulting to deepen community and rural provider support
VMG Health (backed by Incline Equity Partners) bought Indiana-based Burrows Consulting, a specialist in FQHC/FQHC look-alike funding, 340B, grant writing and reimbursement optimization for community-based organizations. The deal expands VMG’s capabilities in financial sustainability for rural clinics and underserved markets.
Business Wire
Sources: Articles from Journal & Courier, The Republic, Becker’s, Indiana Capital Chronicle, Riverview Health, WISH-TV, Radiology Business, Business Wire, Employers’ Forum of Indiana, Moody’s.
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