Intermountain Health

O a’u o Jake Fitisemanu, ou te faigaluega i Intermountain Health. Sa ou faia lo’u tuipuipui mo le fulū auā le faia o tuipuipui e fesoasoani e puipui ai tātou ‘āiga, tua’oi, ma a’u lava.  I'm Jake Fitisemanu, I work for Intermountain Health. I got my flu shot to help protect my family and community by protecting my own health.  What would you rather be doing this fall than being sick in bed? Post your bandage selfie with the hashtag #GoodbyeFluHelloHealthy

Josh Penman has lived in Sevier Valley in Utah for close to 15 years now. “I am from Circleville, in Piute County,” said Josh. “I love small towns. We live in Annabella now, right down the street from my wife’s parents. We have three boys, and one girl and love living in an environment where your kids can play in the street, and you all know your neighbors.” Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Josh and his wife experienced the most tragic event a young parent could go through. “I would have had four boys, but my second son passed away,” said Josh. “He was born a healthy boy as far as we knew. We brought him home, when about two days later he wasn’t feeding well. He ended up passing away a day later. The best that could be determined was our son had a hole in his intestine from a very rare bacteria.” At that time, Josh had been working as a furniture salesman, something he described as a dead-end job. “As I watched how people in healthcare really cared about us, helped us, supported us, in an extremely difficult time when our son passed, I knew I wanted to be the same kind of help to others,” said Josh. He and his wife decided to go back to school at the same time to get their degrees in healthcare; his wife becoming an RN, Josh becoming an RN, and then recently becoming a nurse practitioner for Sevier Valley Hospital Urology. Discover how watching the interactions with nurses and the compassionate work they do helped inform Josh's work as a nurse practitioner and how he provides the highest quality of care in a rural area in the article below. Article written by: Becki Bronson #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

There are a lot of things we know about mental health: -Stigma still exists that keeps people from seeking the help they need -Stress and burnout are real, especially amongst healthcare providers -A supportive work environment can make a difference. With that knowledge, Intermountain Health is proud to share that our credentialing forms are now free from intrusive and stigmatizing language around mental health care and treatment, allowing providers to seek the care they need without fear of losing their medical license or job. In support of physician and advanced practice providers (APPs) well-being, Intermountain signed on to the ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare coalition, which includes a commitment to revising credentialing language. This change puts us in alignment with the American Medical Association (AMA), the Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, and many other healthcare systems and accrediting bodies. “Supporting and protecting our providers’ mental health is paramount to their well-being and for the health of our entire community,” said Chief Clinical Officer JP Valin, MD. “When we take better care of our physicians and APPs, they are able to provide better care for our patients, which is why this change in credentialing language is an important step in the right direction.” This initiative is part of a broader effort that reflects our commitment to supporting the mental well-being of physicians and APPs at Intermountain Health. The updated credentialing language now in effect focuses on current conditions rather than past inquiries into an individual’s mental health or substance use disorder treatment or diagnosis. This change is based on the understanding that inquiries about past diagnoses are not a reliable indicator of current fitness to practice and that treating mental health or substance use concerns early prevents more acute and chronic disease. Complementary to these efforts, Intermountain Health has received Bronze-level recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program. This prestigious award highlights the organization's dedication to promoting physician well-being and reducing burnout. The program empowers health systems to build a culture committed to increasing joy in medicine for the profession nationwide. https://lnkd.in/gi4Nsrw9

Chronic pain doesn’t just affect your body; it can take a toll on your mental health too. Research shows that people with chronic pain are four times more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety. Women are also 21.7% more likely to experience chronic pain than men.  It doesn’t have to be that way. Intermountain Health’s Pain Management team aims to reduce the stigma associated with pain, improve patient access to pain management resources, and enhance the quality of life for those affected by pain. We offer a comprehensive approach to treating both acute and chronic pain, involving a variety of specialists and treatment methods—from medication to mindfulness, exercise to eating, a multi-disciplinary team will help. https://lnkd.in/gcvA5MnT

Family can be a powerful source of inspiration, especially in career-building. Yvonne Aldana, senior practice manager in Nevada, was the first member of her family to become a medical professional. In turn, she helped inspire her daughter, Gabriela Vasquez, to not only follow in her footsteps and work at the same medical office in Pahrump (as a medical assistant) but also perpetuate the ideal of improving the healthcare system for future generations. Article written by: Joseph Gaccione #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Life is busy. Which is why Sherri Wiseman doesn’t have time to take nearly three hours out of her day to drive to her appointment, get a mammogram, and drive home. But while she was busy living life, cancer cells were busy spreading in her breast tissue. Luckily, she was able to access a mobile mammography unit in her small town, where the team caught her cancer early enough to treat. Mobile mammography units are available for many rural areas Intermountain Health serves. The technology is the same quality as the tech in a hospital, the staff is trained, and it doesn’t take a huge chunk out of your day.

Had a great discussion on a recent episode of the Passionate Pioneers with Mike Biselli podcast. Mike and I discussed key strategies to unlocking access to equitable and excellent healthcare, including scaling best practices across diverse regions and redesigning care delivery to address labor shortages. We also explored how AI and technology can support our caregivers, personalize care, and empower patients to take charge of their health between visits.   As I shared on the episode, “The key to a vibrant community is having a healthy community.” #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcareAI #PatientCare #HealthcarePioneers #Leadership #PassionatePioneers #PartnersInHealth Intermountain Health   Use the link below to listen to the full conversation. https://lnkd.in/gHy_Rsd3

A morning coffee run quickly turned into a life-saving mission when emergency department nurse, Aly Speak, witnessed a driver go into cardiac arrest and helped until EMTs arrived. Six months later, Aly witnessed a car accident and again rushed to help. She now recommends all caregivers receive training and keep lifesaving supplies in their cars. Article written by: Lance Frazier #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Many mitral valve prolapse patients live with the heart condition their whole lives without it ever affecting their health. In other people, it can lead to additional heart disease, such as heart failure or arrhythmias, and even death. A new grant will help us understand why. Thanks to a $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, teams of Intermountain Health cardiologists, epidemiologists, and geneticists will research how to enhance monitoring and treatment for patients who experience mitral valve prolapse. This common heart condition happens when the heart’s mitral valve leaflets don't close properly, allowing blood to leak backward into the left atrium. Through this grant, Intermountain researchers will review electronic health records of tens of thousands of Intermountain patients, going back to the 1990s. They will identify people who have been diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and follow their outcomes. The Intermountain study will allow researchers to identify factors that could predict whether mitral valve prolapse affected a patient, and what is most common in those with poor outcomes. They will work with teams from the HerediGene: Population study, as well as Intermountain’s genealogy registry. Overall, Intermountain researchers hope to create a score that will allow physicians to, upon diagnosing mitral valve prolapse, determine if the problem will cause serious problems down the road or not.

TW: child loss When it became clear that an infant born recently at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah was not going to survive, the parents had one request — they wanted to take the baby home to spend time with their other children. However, for that to happen, a lot of teams had to come together in a very short time. Article written by: Lance Frazier #WeServeWithEmpathy #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives