Dan Peterson: New opportunities for a healthier Indiana are in front of us

Hoosiers—for far too long—have trailed the pack when it comes to healthy living. Only seven states rank lower than Indiana in overall health, according to U.S. News & World Report. Equally alarming, the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ State of Mental Health ranks Indiana No. 42.

The tough combination of poor physical and mental health must come to an end. We have the people, the infrastructure and now the resources to change course. Nothing should be more important to Indiana leaders than the health of Hoosiers. Healthy people and employees can lead to a healthier economy. They also can make Indiana a better place to live.

Momentum started in the spring when Indiana lawmakers made important moves that could make a real difference in the lives of Hoosiers. Legislators unleashed significant resources to enhance mental and community health services in our 92 counties. These moves will help doctors address health challenges faced by their patients before it’s too late.

And our progress is getting noticed. A recent article in Politico said funding increases for local health departments represent a significant move—especially in a state that often ranks near the bottom in public health outcomes. Indiana, the story concluded, may offer a model for other states that want to improve beleaguered public health systems despite common resistance to new funding.

Shifting the headwind must be our goal. BioCrossroads, the state’s life sciences initiative, recently convened some of the smartest medical minds around—including Dr. Jerome Adams, the former U.S. surgeon general who today is the director of health-equity initiatives at Purdue University—to review the state of health in Indiana and a path forward. Adams underscored several big challenges, including:

◗ Obesity accounts for more than $3.5 billion in annual medical costs in Indiana.

◗ Smoking costs the state nearly $3 billion annually, including $590 million in our Medicaid budget.

◗ Chronic conditions such as diabetes cost Indiana a staggering $75 billion in direct and indirect costs, including lost productivity. And the all-too-common combination of diabetes and depression perpetuates the challenge.

Mitigating poor health and its costs would unveil a world of possibilities for Indiana. Researchers and life sciences organizations have turned hope into miracles over the last century by mass producing insulin, discovering treatments that help people with HIV live longer and healthier lives, improving risky procedures like open-heart surgery, and discovering safe and effective treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, among many other examples.

And life expectancy in the United States has jumped significantly over the last century, when it was once 46 for men and 48 for women. Today, the average for men is 76. For women, it’s 81. But medical miracles are helpful only when people can access them, and we have more work to do. We need more social workers, nurses and other health care professionals to ease the crushing workforce burden. U.S. health care is state of the art, but it can be challenging to navigate.

Everyone at BioCrossroads is proud of the growth and impact of Indiana’s life sciences community over the last two decades. About 60,000 jobs are directly tied to the life sciences, and Indiana today is a leading life sciences center—contributing to the health of people everywhere and the economic strength of Indiana. Outstanding research universities, major pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device companies and biotech startups help people overcome difficult diseases while researching solutions to vexing conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

By continuing this work and investing in the people who need medical care, Indiana can underpin its position as a life sciences leader. It’s a competitive advantage, and it’s the right thing to do for the people of Indiana.•

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Peterson is the board chair of BioCrossroads.