Community Healthcare System

Overview:

Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana, Inc. (CFNI) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides leadership and resources for the enhancement of health and the quality of life in Northwest Indiana. Projects has pursued throughout its history have served to strengthen the communities it serves. At the heart of CFNI's charitable endeavors is operation of Community Healthcare System, comprising three not-for-profit hospitals: Community Hospital in Munster; St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago; and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Other community projects include the development of the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts; creation of not-for-profit foundations for cancer and cardiovascular research, operation of the Cancer Resource Center offering free support services to cancer patients and their families; donation of land and more than $3.5 million to create the Community Veterans Memorial; and joint operation of Hartsfield Village, a senior living continuing care retirement community. Among the for-profit entities of CFNI are: Community Resources, Inc., and three hospital-physician-owned joint venture health services. Throughout its history, CFNI has supported a number of charitable ventures in Northwest Indiana, including participation in a number of capital campaigns for other local not-for-profit groups; support and scholarships to area colleges and universities; funding for roads and public infrastructure; and donation of land and office space for the not-for-profit Hospice of the Calumet Area.

Benefits:

Insurance Benefits Medical, Vision & Dental Prescription Drug Card Fully-funded Group Life Insurance Supplemental Life Dependent Life Fully-funded Accidental Death and Dismemberment Short Term Disability Long Term Disability Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA’s) Competitive Compensation Excellent Shift Differentials Work/Life Benefits Vacation Days Sick Days Personal Days Paid Holidays Bereavement Days Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Referral Programs for Child/Elder Care & More Entertainment Discounts Employee Wellness Program Discounted Health Club Membership Tuition Assistance Financial Planning & Retirement Benefits Pension Plan/Matching Employer Contribution Plan Tax Deferred Annuities (403b)

Career Opportunities:

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL FIRST TO USE COOL NEW TOOL MUNSTER—Physicians at Community Hospital are offering new hope to patients suffering from Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI), the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease common in people with diabetes. CliRpath® (Cool Laser Revascularization for Peripheral Artery Therapy) is a cool laser treatment that vaporizes all types of blockages – especially below the knee where the arteries are small and narrow. The cool laser catheter delivers rapid and continuous bursts of ultraviolet energy to the target site eliminating the obstruction without damage to the surrounding artery. Unlike other lasers, this “cool” laser does not burn. Cardiologists Arvind Gandhi, M.D. and Prakash Makam, M.D. have performed the procedure at Community Hospital in Munster, Ind., the only hospital in Northwest Indiana to offer this laser treatment. The cool laser is the newest technology available to clear blockages in the leg, giving physicians at Community Hospital added options to help patients avoid amputations. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 100,000 people lose a foot or leg to diabetes annually. Diabetic patients often develop vascular disease in their legs that limits blood flow and can lead to chronic, non-healing wounds, and eventually amputation. In addition to treating peripheral arterial disease, CliRpath® is being used to extract deep muscle electronic leads that had been part of implanted defibrillators or pacemakers. The cool laser treatment can be used to vaporize leads during the extraction procedure. “When a lead is placed into the heart, scar tissue forms in two spots – in the heart chamber itself and at the site of the lead tip within the vein,” said Gandhi, chairman of Cardiovascular Services and Cardiac Catheterization Labs for Community Hospital. “Usually, one of two situations happens. Either the lead is infected and we have to take it out or there are too many leads in the chest because the patient has had their pacemaker for many, many years. In the past, the preferred course of treatment was to leave (the lead) alone. However, with CLiRpath laser treatment, I see the frequency of lead removal increasing because it only removes the obstruction – blood clots and cholesterol plaque – without leaving debris. It is much safer for the patient.” Both physicians agree that CLiRpath® cool laser is a good supplemental treatment to balloon angioplasty and stenting. Another new catheter device, called SilverHawk plaque excision system, has also been used to remove plaque from blocked arteries in the leg. “Our goal is to dramatically reduce the number of amputations per year,” Makam said, “CLiRpath® is a useful tool in treating peripheral vascular disease and CLI. Once we’ve established straightline flow to the foot, circulation improves and healing begins in the ulcers, wounds or gangrene. The results are immediate and can be seen on the angiogram. The patient continues to benefit in the subsequent days, weeks, and months ahead.” During balloon angioplasty and stenting, a tiny incision is made in the upper thigh, and a catheter is inserted into the femoral artery and guided to the heart. Then, a balloon at the catheter tip is inflated inside the vein to block blood flow while a stent – a small wire mesh tube – is expanded inside the vessel to keep the walls open. The stent remains behind as a support brace. Results from balloon angioplasty and stenting alone in patients with CLI, tend to be inferior because deposit material – blood clots, plaque, calcium build up – can leave behind debris that can rebuild or compress and break up and travel through the bloodstream, lodging in the body and causing other complications. CLiRpath® cool laser vaporization and SilverHawk’s rotating blade first eliminate blockages in the vein, removing the material completely from the body. These nonsurgical options for restoring blood flow to lower limbs are increasingly being used in patients with CLI who are at high risk for amputation. Patients, once faced with the possibility of losing a limb, can now look to the physicians at Community Hospital and the FDA approved CLiRpath® procedure to regain blood flow in their lower extremities, increase their chance of healing, and ultimately improve their own physical and psychological well-being.Not ready to apply?

Vision:

The mission of CCMHS is to enhance the quality of life of community residents by making available a wide variety of high quality mental health and substance abuse services to the residents of Charlotte County whenever possible and appropriate. These services are available to people regardless of race, sex, religious belief, or ability to pay.

Contact:

Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana Human Resources 901 MacArthur Blvd. Munster, IN 46321 (219) 836-6705