Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center (Indianapolis, Indiana)

 hospital, Veterans Affairs (VA), 1950s construction

The Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) provides acute and chronic care for veterans and is a statewide and regional referral base for other VA hospitals. Most recently, it has been designated as one of the rehabilitation facilities for Iraqi war veterans.

The Richard L. Roudebush Indianapolis VA Medical Center, located 2 miles northwest of the heart of downtown Indianapolis, has been serving Indiana Veterans since 1932. As Indiana's tertiary care facility, Indianapolis VA Medical Center receives referrals from VA facilities at Fort Wayne and Marion, Indiana, and from nearby Danville, Illinois. Indianapolis VA Medical Center provides acute inpatient medical, surgical, psychiatric, neurological, and rehabilitation care, as well as both primary and specialized outpatient services. Some noteworthy specialized services include comprehensive cardiac care, radiation oncology treatment and community based extended care. Indianapolis VA Medical Center is aggressively utilizing emerging technology in the tele-home care and tele-disease management arenas. The medical center was selected as the site for the Veterans in Partnership VISN 11 Polytrauma Network Site and is currently planning the opening of that Center as ongoing support to the returning veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF).

The medical center operates two Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC's) located in Bloomington, Indiana and Terre Haute, Indiana. The more than 47,000 patients treated by the Indianapolis VA Medical Center require almost 410,000 outpatient visits and over 7,100 inpatient episodes of care yearly. The medical center conducts extensive research and training programs. With annual research support exceeding $11.8 million, staff members are conducting studies in such areas as diabetes, alcoholism, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, pulmonary diseases, cancer and other areas for veteran health. The Medical Center has nine sharing agreements with the Department of Defense and plays a key role in disaster preparedness as a federal designated coordinating center for National Disaster Medical System. An active TRICARE/ CHAMPUS Clinic Program is also available that provides care for active duty military service members, retirees and their families.

ROUDEBUSH, Richard Lowell, (1918 - 1995)

Roudebush, Richard Lowell, a Representative from Indiana; born on a farm in Hamilton County, near Noblesville, Ind., January 18, 1918; attended Hamilton County schools; graduated from Butler University, Indianapolis, Ind., in 1941; served in the United States Army from November 18, 1941, to August 12, 1944, as a demolition specialist for the Ordnance Department in Middle Eastern, North African, and Italian Campaigns; farmer; partner in livestock commission company; National Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1957-1958; chairman of Indiana Veterans Commission, 1954-1960; elected as a Republican to the Eighty-seventh and to the four succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1961-January 3, 1971); was not a candidate in 1970 for reelection but was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate; administrator of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Administration, 1971-1977; died January 28, 1995. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 30, Grave 432.