Families in Bartholomew County won't have to drive all the way to Indianapolis anymore for certain pediatric specialty appointments. Columbus Regional Health has announced a new partnership that will bring pediatric ear, nose and throat, cardiovascular and orthopedic specialists to the Columbus Regional Hospital campus several days each month, with services expected to start in January 2027.
A New Pipeline From Indianapolis to Columbus
The partnership connects Columbus Regional Health with Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent, according to The Republic. The goal, per the same report, is to bring highly specialized pediatric care directly to Bartholomew County and surrounding communities rather than requiring families to travel outside the region for routine specialty needs. Services and appointment availability are expected to begin in January 2027.
Under the arrangement, Ascension St. Vincent specialists will travel to the Columbus Regional Hospital campus to conduct evaluations, follow-ups and select medical procedures locally, the outlet reports. That local access is intended to let families receive specialty care without traveling far outside their community. Children who need more complex surgery or intensive hospital-based treatment will still transition to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital in Indianapolis for that higher level of care.
What CRH Leadership Is Saying
CRH President and CEO Andy Guz framed the move as part of a broader effort to keep more pediatric care close to home. “CRH and Ascension St. Vincent are strengthening the continuum of care for young patients across the region,” Guz said, according to the same report. The article notes that specific service details, including scheduling and clinical logistics, will follow at a later date.
Existing Pediatric Resources at Both Hospitals
Columbus Regional Health already has pediatric hospitalists and dedicated pediatric nurses on staff for children who are admitted to the hospital, according to CRH's own pediatric services page, which states that with that team, “your child will receive care designed just for them.” That existing infrastructure will now be paired with specialists traveling in from Indianapolis for the new ENT, cardiovascular and orthopedic offerings.
On the Indianapolis side, Peyton Manning Children's Hospital describes itself as a full-service pediatric hospital, according to Ascension's healthcare site. The hospital says it has more than 240 pediatric specialists across more than 40 pediatric specialties, per Ascension's description of the facility. It also says it is recognized as a Level 1 Children's Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons Children's Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program, underscoring the level of care available for children who need to make the trip north for more intensive treatment.
For now, the exact clinic schedule, referral process and which clinicians will be rotating through Columbus have not been detailed publicly. Families waiting on those specifics will have to wait for the January rollout, when CRH and Ascension St. Vincent are expected to share more about how the new pediatric specialty services will actually run.
