Intermountain Health

Medical assistant Danielle Johnson was covering a shift for a colleague when she encountered a situation that would test her clinical intuition and dedication to patient care. Despite the patient not being one of her regulars, Danielle's keen observation and proactive steps ensured the safety of both the patient and her baby.    During a routine checkup, Danielle noticed the patient's blood pressure was elevated. A second check showed the blood pressure was still high and out of range. With the patient’s OB/GYN occupied with another delivery, Danielle notified Alex Grijalva, RN, who was also on shift. Together, they decided to put the patient on a non-stress test (NST) for the baby and to cycle blood pressures.    Danielle asked the patient to remain a bit longer to allow for additional testing, and Alex continued to monitor the baby and blood pressure. It was at this point the patient’s blood pressure became severe, which prompted them to notify the physician on shift, Kandice Nielson, MD. Dr. Nielson swiftly admitted the patient to Labor and Delivery. Danielle, Alex, and Dr. Nielson’s story represents the importance of teamwork and is a great reminder of being proactive in patient care.    “Danielle’s quick thinking exemplifies the values of Intermountain and highlights the critical role that medical assistants play in ensuring patient safety,” said Dr. Nielson. “She’s an amazing medical assistant, and we’re lucky to have her in our office."    “It’s important to trust your instincts and intuition and never stop paying attention to what the patient is saying,” Danielle said. “In this instance, the patient wasn’t necessarily telling me she felt off, but connecting the dots and paying attention to her was crucial in this situation.” Article written by: Jackie Johnson #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

In 1974, Vicki Macy was in her 30s and had been working as a teacher and taking care of her children. Still, she felt the pull toward medicine, something she’d dreamed of as a young girl. She took extra undergraduate classes and was accepted to medical school, one of just 15 women in a class of 118. Eventually, Vicki became the first female obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) in Utah. Vicki soon partnered with Mary Beard, MD, the only other female OB/GYN in the state, to open Avenues Women’s Center in Salt Lake City with a loan from LDS Hospital. Over her 40-year career, Vicki delivered more than 9,000 babies, including multiple generations in numerous families and fellow caregivers. She pioneered many techniques that are commonplace in today’s delivery rooms, including skin-to-skin “kangaroo care” between moms and their newborns. Even after her retirement, “What would Dr. Macy do?” is a common refrain still heard at LDS Hospital. At the same time Dr. Macy was growing her career, DeAnn Brown was starting nursing school. DeAnn witnessed her first baby delivery as a student and was instantly captivated. Her passion for labor and delivery has only grown. DeAnn’s career led to leadership roles, but she didn’t want to miss out on delivering babies, so she became a certified nurse midwife. Today, she is the president of Garfield Memorial Hospital, where she regularly delivers babies, on top of her many other administrative duties. “Being a woman provider in the midwifery world gives me a special connection to patients,” she said. “I’m fortunate to be able to utilize this unique bond to provide compassionate care, support, and guidance throughout their birthing journey.” This Women’s History Month, we’re proud to recognize our female caregivers, each of whom makes an incredible impact throughout our organization. Whether they worked at Intermountain Health in 1873 or 2025, our female caregivers are fierce, fantastic, and fearless. As we celebrate 50 years of Intermountain, we reflect on the pioneering women who broke barriers and paved the way for current and future generations of female caregivers.

At Intermountain Health, we help people live their healthiest lives beyond the reach of our physical walls. While a lot of work happens with patients at care sites, we also serve our members and communities as part of our Fundamentals. A good example is in Spanish-speaking communities. We work with Telemundo and Univision, nationally known Spanish television stations, to talk about important health topics relevant to the community. Dr. Maria Borrero, medical oncologist, is a key part of our efforts. Article written by: Brook D. #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

117 days. That’s about how long it would take you to get halfway to the sun from Earth. Or to drive from across the USA 14 times. Or how long Sabrina Wilhite has been hospitals since she and her sister were hit by an alleged drunk driver on their way to a Thanksgiving celebration. The crash happened in Arizona, where both sisters spent time in the hospital. Younger sister Jessica left the hospital right before Christmas, while Sabrina was transferred to Salt Lake City for more rehabilitation. After leaving this week, she says she is ready to get back to doing all the things she loved before despite her new normal.

For the 'Great 8' medical surgical unit at St. Mary's Regional Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, a positive culture driven by transparency and teamwork is leading to sustained success. Emy Ragsdale BSN, RN, CMSRN has been a key driver of that culture. Ragsdale, the unit’s nurse manager, helped create the unit in 2021 and facilitated a transition from the third to eighth floor in January 2023 to accommodate evolving hospital needs. After serving as a 12-bed acuity-based unit on the third floor, it now operates with 24 medical surgical beds today and plans to expand to 32 beds by April. The team of roughly 70 caregivers provides essential care for patients who are either preparing for or recovering from surgical procedures. “We actually started out as a floor of nothing,” said Ragsdale. “We had zero permanent caregivers, primarily working with a float pool and travel nurses. As we’ve built our team, we’ve been able to instill a unified vision that makes people want to work here. We keep in mind what matters most: our patients and our caregivers.” Alongside quality patient care, the unit hosts job sharing opportunities for nurses from other floors to pick up shifts a few times per month. They also take pride in developing the Western Slope’s next generation of nurses, helping certified nursing assistants (CNAs) learn the intricacies of life in a hospital and prepare for job interviews. When it comes time for CNAs to graduate nursing school, Ragsdale and other team leaders attend their pinning ceremonies with “fathead” stick-signs like you’d see in the crowd of a college basketball game.  “We enjoy being there to cheer them on and meet their families,” Ragsdale said. “Making that personal connection is so important. We want them to know that we’re proud of them, and that we’ll always support them. Even if they move on to another floor of the hospital. Go spread your wings and continue to learn.” That intentional focus on personal connections has elevated the unit’s culture to new heights. It is why Ragsdale with the support of St. Mary’s senior leadership prioritized building a new, centralized nurse station as part of a floor-wide remodel this year. The station it replaced was situated behind a wall, making nurses feel isolated at times. But now, the team has a shared space to discuss ideas, relieve stress, and build relationships – which ultimately translates into higher quality care. “We’re building community,” said Autumn Rowher, RN. “It has been a complete gamechanger for us.” Article written by: Chris Mueller #WeAreBetterTogether #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

As a teenager, Ann Ross wanted to help the poor and orphans. She ran away to become a nun, but her parents brought her home. When Ann described her desire to help, her father asked, “What can a woman do?” Ann’s mother took her aside and told her, “Let your feet take you where your heart is,” and let her go. Ann became Mother Xavier Ross, founder of the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth.  In 1858, the Sisters arrived on the banks of the Missouri River in Kansas and traveled west. Mother Xavier sent four Sisters to establish a hospital. With just $9, the resourceful Sisters traveled by wagon throughout mining towns in Colorado, raising money for their service. Their goal was simple: to help the poor and vulnerable.   The Sisters opened what would later become Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver in 1873. Through challenges, they persevered, caring mostly for immigrants and mine workers. They set the tone that’s shaped Saint Joseph and Intermountain — to make healthcare accessible and serve with grace and compassion.  This Women’s History Month, we’re proud to recognize our female caregivers, each of whom makes an incredible impact throughout our organization. Whether they worked at Intermountain Health in 1873 or 2025, our female caregivers are fierce, fantastic, and fearless. As we celebrate 50 years of Intermountain, we reflect on the pioneering women who broke barriers and paved the way for current and future generations of female caregivers. 

How do caregivers find strength to serve our patients? For Sholom Nadler, NP, he relies not only on his medical knowledge but his faith. Prior to becoming an advanced practice provider, Sholom was ordained as a rabbi. Through secular collegiate studies, Sholom became more interested in healthcare and switched career paths, eventually moving from New York to Nevada. He currently sees patients at the Pecos Senior Clinic in Henderson, Nevada. But although he shifted his focus, Sholom harnesses those values to treat his patients, from his time as a rabbi and his outreach growing up in a tightly knit Orthodox community in Brooklyn. Sholom supports his evidence-based care with a faith that gives him more confidence to do the right thing. Article written by: Joseph Gaccione #WeDoTheRightThing #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Recent trends show a rise in colon cancer diagnoses among younger adults. Since 2020, there's been a 9% increase in colon cancer cases in people under 50. Colon cancer, when caught early, is very treatable. Individuals 45-75 years old with average risk may qualify for Intermountain’s at-home colon cancer screening kits (FIT kit). Available in Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, this non-invasive test allows you to get a test kit in the mail and send it back to the lab for testing, no appointment with a doctor needed. Results are delivered online via the patient portal. If there is a concern, you may need to schedule a colonoscopy. If not, you can wait five years. The FIT kit is covered by many insurance plans. https://lnkd.in/gBvzkdBt

Content note: all training photos are of a simulation mannequin, not a person It’s not every day you get to see the immediate results of your training, but for one Intermountain Health team, their practice paid off right away. Keeping people well starts with meeting people where they are, which is why Intermountain’s Resort Medicine team operates seven Ski Clinics, with a full staff of physicians, nurses, and support staff. At the beginning of the season, everyone is a little rusty. That’s why every season kicks off with a training day. The team, including ski patrol, participated in a full simulation designed with their limited resources in mind. Just days later, the call came in and this time, it wasn’t a drill. The scenario was nearly identical to the one they had practiced--a cardiac event leaving a patient unconscious and without a pulse. “On our way to the code, one of the patrollers asked if we wanted to assign roles before we get there,” Molly Merrion, RN, said. “We’d never included ski patrol in our trainings before, and it was such a big piece to be synced up with them. By the time we got there, we knew exactly what we were going to do.”  That coordination was so important, Molly said, because it optimized the team at the most crucial moment: the nurses were the only personnel qualified to start IVs and administer medications, while the ski patrollers could perform CPR, and the doctor could run the code.  The patient recovered and is doing well. The team’s fast work undoubtedly saved their life.  “We practice codes like this at least once a year,” said Molly. "It can seem silly to do all the time, but the practice kicks in during emergency situations when things are moving fast and it’s hard to think. You rely on that repetition.”  The team also practices repetition with daily safety checks, checking the AED, and looking through the red trauma pack.  “Is everything in there? Yes, just like it was the day before and the day before that,” she said. “It’s the most monotonous part of the job. But when there’s an emergency, that’s when you’re glad you did safety checks that day.” 

Susan Dahl is one of the first patients in Colorado whose life changed for the better as the result of a minimally invasive heart procedure to repair her damaged tricuspid heart valves. Susan found out she had a leaky valve and received a diagnosis for tricuspid valve regurgitation about six years ago. Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a heart valve condition where the valve between the right atrium and right ventricle doesn’t fully close. This causes some blood to flow the wrong way. As a result, the right atrium can enlarge, which can change the pressure in the nearby chambers and blood vessels. Susan noticed an increase in fatigue in 2023. She learned that she had the option to undergo surgery, the Evoque heart procedure, to help her condition. Her heart condition had worsened to severe tricuspid regurgitation.  She was referred to Jake Chanin, MD, a cardiologist and medical director of structural heart at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado, who has a robust and collaborative heart team. Dr. Chanin explained to Susan that the new Evoque tricuspid valve procedure would be a minimally invasive operation and that she would be a great candidate. She went through various tests to ensure she qualified for the procedure. “Historically, there haven’t been many options to help this condition outside of being stuck on medication or valve surgery, which can be risky due to rates of complications or high mortality,” said Dr. Chanin. “A minimally invasive option has been a big relief for our patients who haven’t had many options, and it is the first valve replacement option. Before these procedures, there were few options.” Susan had the procedure done in late August of 2024. She was 78 years old at the time.  Following her procedure, Susan was able to get up and walk the following day. She felt well enough to be back to her routine on day four and was surprised to have recovered so quickly. To her delight, she noticed an instantaneous improvement in her energy levels. Now, Susan looks forward to riding her new electric trike along bike trails in her community this summer. Article written by: Claudia Chinn #WeAreLeadersInClinicalExcellence #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives