Community Health Network

In the 1950s, Indianapolis was growing, but healthcare access wasn't keeping pace, especially on the city's east side. A group of concerned citizens, led by civic leader Edward Gallahue, decided to solve the problem themselves. They formed the Indianapolis Hospitals Development Association and launched a massive community fundraising effort, going door-to-door to fund a new hospital on land Gallahue had donated. This grassroots effort culminated in 1956 with the opening of Community Hospital, establishing a foundational principle: healthcare built by the community, for the community. The organization's first major strategic play came under CEO Allan Hicks, who recognized that to serve a city divided into quadrants, the hospital system needed to expand its footprint. In 1985, they opened Community Hospital North, a forward-thinking move to serve the burgeoning suburbs. This expansion was the first step in transforming from a single hospital into a true network. The 1990s brought a wave of consolidation in healthcare, and the newly named Community Health Network was formed in 1996 after incorporating Community Hospital Anderson. This was a pivotal moment, cementing its identity as a regional system rather than just a collection of city hospitals. Instead of a single, dramatic IPO or acquisition, the network's significant financial events have been a series of strategic expansions and joint ventures. A key part of the playbook became reinvesting in its origins. Under CEO Bryan Mills, the network invested $175 million to rebuild the aging Community Hospital East campus, signaling a deep commitment to the neighborhood where it all began. More recently, the network has embraced partnerships, merging with Fairbanks Hospital in 2019 to enhance addiction treatment services and engaging in joint ventures to build new facilities, continually adapting its strategy to meet Central Indiana's evolving healthcare needs.