IRHA names Yolanda Yoder, MD as its 2021 “Doc Hollywood,”citing Dr. Yoder’s “exceptional commitment to high quality healthcare”

TERRE HAUTE, Indiana – Recognizing outstanding service in rural healthcare, the Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA) selected Yolanda Yoder, M.D., chief medical director for Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC), for its 2021 “Doc Hollywood” award.

Taking its name from a popular film where an inspiring urban surgeon discovers the rewards of practicing in a rural setting, the annual IRHA “Doc Hollywood” recipient is chosen by a group of independent medical professionals who review nominations from across Indiana. The award was presented before the keynote address from former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on June 16 at the annual IRHA conference at French Lick, Indiana.

According to Cara Veale, IRHA CEO, Dr. Yoder was chosen for a variety of reasons, including the fact that “Dr. Yoder’s exceptional commitment to high quality healthcare throughout her four rural county service area is well-documented by medical peers, state officials, local leadership and patients themselves. As one local leader noted, ‘our region relies on her for her wisdom, discipline, substance, truth, teamwork, responsibility and excellence. She is always willing to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. She’s a proven leader.’”

Further, Dr. Veale continued in announcing the award, “In addition to her work with establishing the community organization Thrive Orange County to positively address critical adverse childhood issues, Dr. Yoder quietly but aggressively champions the integration of high-quality mental health services directly in SICHC primary care service offerings. She sees and understands the need for quality mental health services, especially as area residents face issues associated with the COVID-19 crisis. She powerfully recognizes the need for professional, peer and local support for dealing effectively with substance abuse issues and more importantly, recovery.”

“She insists on high standards of health care service delivery and leads by example, leveraging her unique position as a community physician to be a key influencer,” Dr. Veale added.

Regional medical professionals, including senior administrators at the IU Hospital in Paoli and the Center for Rural Engagement at Indiana University noted that Dr. Yoder is well-known for her collaborative – rather than competitive – approach to establishing and elevating quality healthcare.

In receiving the award, Dr. Yoder expressed that she only wished “that the award could be made in the name of the entire team at SICHC, who truly make this level of service possible.”

The Doc Hollywood award nomination is open to any individual in Indiana who has shown dedication toward improving health care in his or her own underserved, rural or other underserved community.

See video of Dr. Yoder receiving the 2021 award by clicking here.  

#     #     #

About the DOC HOLLYWOOD Award – Drawing from the popular film “Doc Hollywood” where actor Michael J. Fox plays an inspiring Los Angeles surgeon who finds real satisfaction in rural healthcare, the Doc Hollywood Day vision is about recognizing individuals who care professionally for people in rural and other underserved communities. It is a time for celebration and fun, but it accomplishes a serious purpose of recognizing unsung heroes of rural healthcare.  Access to quality healthcare is a key component in terms of individuals’ physical and mental health; it is also a key component in communities’ economic vitality.  Without healthcare, along with schools, industry, water systems and other infrastructure, communities wither and die. Raising visibility and awareness about these unsung heroes, and celebrating their contributions, enhances rural Indiana’s ability to recruit people into these professions and areas to ensure access to quality health care and viable, thriving communities.  This remains particularly imperative as Indiana rural healthcare heroes continue to provide extraordinary care amidst an ongoing public health emergency.

About the Indiana Rural Health Association – The Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA) was organized in 1997 and is a nonprofit organization working to enhance the health and well-being of rural populations in Indiana through leadership, education, advocacy, collaboration, and resource development. The strength of the organization is through the present diverse membership and the founding organizers who are committed to impacting the health of citizens through the identification of rural health issues and through advocacy roles in both the public and private sectors. IRHA membership is made up of 3,300 diverse individuals and organizations, making it the largest state rural health association in the nation, and a nationally recognized leader in rural health care. For more information, visit www.indianaruralhealth.org

About the Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) nonprofit organization – Well-known as a high-impact health care provider committed to continuity of care, the nonprofit Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) organization is committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive, community-sensitive health care utilizing Christ-centered principles to medically underserved, rural communities.  As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), SICHC serves as a “safety net” provider for vulnerable populations and focuses on increasing access to primary care services for Medicaid and Medicare patients in rural communities. SICHC offers medical care in medically underserved areas of Crawford, Martin, Orange, and Washington counties. SICHC is a member of the National Health Services Corps and receives program funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SICHC offers services to all persons, regardless of the person’s ability to pay. For more information, please visit https://sichc.org/