Division of General Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine
Passed by the IUPUI Faculty Council at their meeting on February 5, 2013.
After more than 25 years of service to the Indiana University School of Medicine and to his patients, Steven Neumann MD passed away on December 12, 2012 after a brief illness with metastatic melanoma. Steve was born on August 11, 1958. He graduated from Wabash College in 1980, and then from the IU School of Medicine in 1984. Steve completed his medical training as an Internal Medicine Resident, also at the IU School of Medicine, in 1987.
Upon completion of his residency, Steve was hired by Dr. Joseph Mamlin and joined the Division of General Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine as a new faculty member. Steve was a pioneer of clinical innovation. His career started as the first faculty member dedicated to create new models of primary care delivery in a managed care setting. He was involved in the creation of University Health Care, which was IU’s first exploration into the HMO full-risk managed care business. Starting with a single site at Wishard Hospital Team 5 office, which Dr. Neumann successfully managed and operated, the system then grew to multiple primary care offices throughout the Indianapolis area, eventually becoming IU Medical Group Primary Care, which has recently merged into what we know today as IU Health Physicians.
Steve was the epitome of a leader throughout his quarter century of service. For his entire career he served as the Associate Medical Director of the IU Medical Group Primary Care Commercial Office, which was located initially at Wishard Hospital and then moved to the IU Hospital Adult Outpatient Center. In this role he served on innumerable committees which shaped and formed the IU School of Medicine Primary Care delivery system. His employees and colleagues all described him as a calm, steady leader even during difficult times. Colleagues who worked with him for more than 15 years state that they do not ever remember Dr. Neumann appearing as anything other than as a calm presence, even during stormy times. In addition to this demeanor, his work ethic was unparalleled. Even when faced with personal calamity, Dr. Neumann hardly missed a day. More importantly, he never complained about any challenges he faced but rather, in his quiet manner, worked tirelessly behind-the- scenes for resolution to the issue. He was a brilliant diagnostician and clinician with a vast knowledge of medicine from which we all benefited: physicians and patients alike. His long time colleague Dr. Brian Leon stated, “Steve devoted countless hours and imparted part of his vast knowledge to countless medical students, residents, and young physicians, such as myself.”
Steve continued his pioneering efforts by playing a pivotal role in the development of the Cerner Electronic Medical Record for the outpatient setting for IU Health. Steve was the first physician to adopt the use of the Cerner EMR in his outpatient practice, and over the past 7 years became what the Cerner Development team describes as the most valuable beta tester of new functionality in the system. Steve spent thousands of hours working with the development team to troubleshoot countless extremely detailed issues and problems with the system, and was often the first physician to try new functionality so that problems could be fixed prior to other physicians utilizing the system. Due to Steve’s work along with the Cerner Development team, the IU Health Cerner outpatient EMR evolved from an essentially unusable system to one which is used now statewide by thousands of physicians daily for the benefit of millions of patient visits yearly to improve the quality of care patients receive.
Steve was revered by his patients as a kind, caring, extraordinarily compassionate physician. Since his untimely passing his patients have come forward with numerous testimonials similar to the one below:
Dr. Neumann treated thousands of patients over his career and made their lives better.
Although Steve was extremely dedicated to his career, he was also a remarkably well-balanced family man. He is survived by his loving wife Jill, and his four children Beth, Luke, Zach, and Josh. Steve always spoke proudly and fondly of the time he spent with his children, whether camping and pursuing outdoor activities as a Boy Scout leader for many years, or volunteering in support of the Zionsville Marching
Band in competitions or at band camp. He was also known as an incredibly talented “fix it” man, building additions to his home and, in 25 years as a homeowner, never needing any outside help for home repairs. He loved to build things with his own hands, and loved passing this knowledge down to his children, many of whom now want to become engineers so they too can continue this love of design and building.
It is with great respect for a life well lived that we ask the IUPUI Faculty Council to pass this Memorial Resolution in honor of the life of Dr. Steven John Neumann. Dr. Neumann’s contributions to his patients, colleagues, friends, and most importantly his family are innumerable. He made the lives of everyone he touched better, and his efforts as a faculty member of IU School of Medicine will continue to improve the lives of all of us, providers and patients alike, into the distant future.
Contributing Committee Members:
Wanita Kumar M.D., Brian Leon M.D., Jill Milligan, Michelle Knight M.B.A., Greg Kiray M.D.