Intermountain Health

Some of us are lucky enough to have a best friend at work. Not all of us are lucky enough to have two, let alone have the kind of friendship that carries over to another organization. Erik, Amanda, and Heather bonded while working at a state-run organization that helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Heather joined Intermountain Health in 2021. Erik and Amanda soon joined her at the Wellington Neurosurgery Clinic in Grand Junction, Colorado. “We’ve built a level of trust through the hard times by taking the time to get to know each other,” said Erik. “You’re on their side, and they’re on yours.” Being part of Intermountain not only gave Heather, Erik, and Amanda the chance to work together again, it gave them the opportunity to grow their careers using their $5,250 education benefit. The trio decided to use their benefits to earn their certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) certification together through the PEAK program. While Heather, Erik, and Amanda each had different reasons for earning their certification, they said having support from each other made it possible for them to accomplish their goal. Amanda wanted to show her daughter that learning and growth doesn’t have an age limit. “I’m very routine-oriented and struggle with change and taking on new challenges. Having Erik and Heather’s support helped me feel that anything is possible.” Erik wanted to qualify to become a lead medical assistant. “I’ve always loved to learn new things, so when I saw that Intermountain offered to pay for schooling, I was intrigued,” he said. “Once I heard that my coworkers were doing it, I knew it would push me to get it done.” Heather wanted to expand her expertise to give better care to her patients. “The opportunity to do this free of expense, while working and at my own pace, made the decision a no-brainer,” said Heather. “It gave me more confidence knowing I was starting the course with my teammates.” No matter what your personal goals are, you can find people to support and encourage you at Intermountain. Driving your own growth doesn’t mean you need to go it alone. We are better together, and anyone can become your Erik, or Amanda, or Heather. Article written by: Meredith Wilson Article submission from Ricki Heil RN, BSN, MBA-HM #WeAreBetterTogether #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Did you know you can make stress work FOR you? Read more: https://lnkd.in/gf2QEeB2

An all-woman team hits the road in a big bus taking women’s health to rural communities. It sounds like the pitch to a sitcom, but it’s real life for the mobile mammography teams in Utah and Montana. The mobile mammography team provides mammogram opportunities to residents in 15 rural southwestern Utah communities, and covers hundreds of miles surrounding Butte and Billings, Montana. This is no easy mission, and it takes a team to fulfill every task including scheduling the mammogram appointments, driving the mobile unit, performing mammograms, and then following up with each patient while putting in many hours and miles on their travel log.   The Utah team, based at Garfield Hospital, is bringing state-of-the-art screening to towns with populations ranging from 251 to just over 5,000 residents in places like Boulder and Kanab. Just because these screenings take place on the road doesn’t mean care is reduced. The mobile unit houses a Hologic 3-D mammography machine that provides a more comfortable experience with high resolution images. “With the technology we have today, we are detecting breast cancer at earlier stages, which is making a huge impact on treatment, care, and lives of our patients,” said Meagan Cooper, mammogram tech. “It's truly remarkable!”

If you’ve ever traveled along I-80 or U.S. 93 through Nevada, you’ve probably driven through Wells, a town of 1,251 people. That was the experience of Doc Smith, who got stuck in Wells during a winter storm in 1980. When the town’s residents learned he was a doctor, they convinced him to stay in Wells and open a practice. Doc served the town for 30 years until he retired in 2011. Since then, town leaders have been looking for a healthcare provider. Without an in-town doctor, residents have to travel one hour to Elko for limited services or more than two hours to Salt Lake City. Doctors have come to Wells over the years, but the care hasn’t been sustainable — until Intermountain Health came to town with a unique approach to hybrid care. Article written by: Michelle Kaiser Article contributors: Jeremy Holt and Brad Gillman #RuralHealth #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

About 13% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) don’t know they have it and need testing. Early detection is essential because it reduces transmission and improves patients' lives by placing them on antiretroviral therapy (ART), which allows them to live healthier lives and significantly lowers the risk of spreading the virus. Testing is vital. Yet Utah has consistently ranked last out of all 50 states for HIV testing rates — until recently. A group of caregivers decided to improve HIV testing rates in Utah to support some of our most vulnerable communities. Intermountain Health has now expanded support for PLHIV in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. Article written by: Brook D. #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Gastroenterologist Dan Collins took a moment away from giving tours of a life-sized inflatable colon at the LDS Hospital Ladies Night Out event to get his flu shot. He said he doesn’t want to get the flu and miss visiting his freshman daughter at college for Parent’s Weekend! What would you rather be doing this fall than being sick in bed? Post your bandage selfie with the hashtag #GoodbyeFluHelloHealthy

At Intermountain Health, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the significant contributions of women in the field of healthcare, including physicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals. In this article, three female physicians share advice for women considering a career in healthcare, challenges they’ve overcome, and tips for being an effective leader. Article written by: Christa Bruning #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Mary, who has been living with diabetes since 1999, is no stranger to juggling a variety of medications.  She was on five different maintenance medications, and the cost was adding up. Her primary care provider suggested working with a clinical pharmacist and that’s how she met Rachel Alm. The first thing Rachel did was set Mary up with our Intermountain Medication Assistance Program (IMAP), a team of pharmacy technicians who help patients get access to medications they’re struggling to afford on their own.  Rachel also had Mary stop two of the medications, one of which was ineffective when paired with the rest of the mix.  They also worked together on lifestyle changes.  The results? Mary’s medication adherence improved with fewer and more affordable medications.   In just three months, her A1C dropped by two points– to her lowest A1C in years!  At the end of the three months, the two celebrated Mary achieving her diabetes goals and lowering her A1C. She was doing so well that she could be referred back to her PCP for her diabetes management. Rachel is only a phone call away to answer any future questions.  This week, we want to say thank you to all our pharmacists who impact patient lives every day, even if patients don’t always see it. Ambulatory care pharmacists like Rachel, otherwise known as a clinical pharmacists, work in an outpatient medical office as dedicated medication experts. They work directly with patients in their primary care clinic to help them meet their healthcare goals in partnership with their primary care team. This usually involves decisions about whether to start, stop, or make changes to medications for patients’ chronic diseases. They are also a resources for caregivers when it comes to drug interactions, effectiveness, and more.

Intermountain’s Physician and APP Experience and Well-being team has been working hard to create an ecosystem of safety and support that allows our Physicians and APPs to thrive. From launching our peer support system to updating credentialing forms removing stigmatizing language around mental health, they’ve been making great strides in caring for our physicians and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). As a result of their excellent work, Intermountain Health has earned a Bronze-level recognition from the American Medical Association's Joy in Medicine™ Program. This distinction is granted to organizations with proven efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork, and support – all of which enhance the well-being and professional fulfillment of providers. I’m grateful for everything our well-being team has done to support the mental health and resilience of our physicians and APPs. When we prioritize caring for those who care for others, we help ensure the best outcomes for our patients and communities. #JoyInMedicine #ProviderWellBeing #CaringForCaregivers 

World-class pediatric care…now closer to home. This week, Intermountain Health and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas unveiled the sign for a future stand-alone children’s hospital site in UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park. This is the first planned stand-alone pediatric hospital in the state of Nevada, becoming another puzzle piece in a network of comprehensive children’s care. We are in the design phase now and cannot wait to share more with our community as ideas turn into realities.