Intermountain Health

Madison Gill's story is one of extraordinary courage and determination. After a life-altering accident two years ago left her paralyzed, Madison faced her new reality with an indomitable spirit. With the unwavering support of her family, friends, and the dedicated caregivers at Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital in St. George, Utah, she embarked on a challenging journey toward recovery. Her days were filled with rigorous therapy sessions, each small movement a victory in the face of adversity. Madison's resilience shone through as she set a goal for herself that many thought impossible – to walk across her high school graduation stage. As the day approached, the community rallied around her, inspired by her tenacity. And then, on a day filled with pride and emotion, Madison did what she had worked so tirelessly for; she walked across the stage at Hurricane High School's graduation, her diploma a symbol of her triumph over the obstacles she had faced. Madison's story is not just about her physical recovery, but also about the power of hope and the strength of the human spirit. It's a reminder to us all that with determination, support, and a lot of hard work, the impossible can become possible. Join us in celebrating Madison Gill's remarkable journey. #GraduationWalk #Resilience #Inspiration #IntermountainHealth

WEEK 7 Mental Health Exercise I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn. —ANNE FRANK Mind Dump Exercise Take 5 to 10 minutes and dump out all the thoughts lingering in your mind. Use a pen and a piece of paper to write down all of the thoughts that are bothering you. @thedefensiveline

In the words of Celine, "Near, Far, Wherever you are..." take pride in your health! (We added that last part but we're sure our Canadian Queen would agree.) We know not everyone lives close to a healthcare provider, especially if you need a more specialized provider. That is why we offer telehealth and virtual visits for most providers in the state of Utah. All of the LGBTQIA+ clinically competent providers at our Salt Lake Clinic are available for virtual videos across the state.

Tahesha McGowan worked as a patient care assistant for another healthcare organization and started a nonprofit to teach homebound patients computer skills. But during the pandemic, Tahesha's hours were cut, and she had to pause her nonprofit work. Her husband also lost his job, and the couple could no longer afford their home. While living in their car, Tahesha lost a pregnancy. She didn’t have medical coverage and couldn’t afford to see a provider. “I got depressed,” she said. “It was a hard time. A really hard time.”  But then Tahesha found a life-changing course: Intermountain Health’s Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program offered through a partnership with the 90-Day MA Program. Piloted in Nevada but now available in all regions of Intermountain, this apprenticeship program partners with local organizations to offer people with little or no healthcare experience the education and clinical rotation hours they need to qualify as a medical assistant (MA).  From their first day in the program, students are paid as full-time employees with benefits. That immediate access to a stable salary made all the difference for Tahesha, who now works as an MA at the Centennial Center Clinic in Las Vegas. “I have a career and educational opportunities,” she said. "I’ve gained a lot of skills, but more importantly, I gained a family. I have a sisterhood with my classmates and a family with Intermountain. I feel appreciated, needed, and cared for.” Tahesha and her husband are once again in stable housing. “When people see me now, they say, ‘Tahesha, you got your fire back.’ I’m optimistic. My future looks bright.”   

The Western Colorado HIV Specialty Care Clinic in Grand Junction is the only comprehensive HIV specialty clinic between Denver and Salt Lake City. The program serves roughly 300 patients and all 22 Colorado counties west of the Continental Divide. The clinic is part of St. Mary’s Family Medicine Residency Program and is unique in the care it provides. It is, by design, a comprehensive primary care clinic within which HIV specialty care and behavioral health are nestled. Additionally, substance use screening and treatment are provided. “We think of it as a one-stop shop, so when someone comes into the clinic, they're seeing a whole team,” said Alicia Gutierrez, grants program manager/behavioral health provider. “We offer preventative medicine screenings, update their vaccines, and provide mental health and substance use screenings and brief intervention, when needed. After that, the doctor comes in and assesses the patient. We work very collaboratively and have one treatment plan, that includes all our patients’ needs.” “We started this clinic as a result of the need identified by a collaboration of community partners and agencies,” said Alicia. “Patients living with HIV were neither accessing primary care nor HIV specialty care due to stigma and access.” Alicia says providing these services is the right thing to do and is a public health issue. If a person living with HIV doesn't have access to medication, they can potentially expose their partners to the virus. “I think it's really important for people to know that we're here and we will be available to any person needing care,” said Alicia. “We provide a lot of outstanding services and we’re growing and will continue to do the great work we started 25 years ago. We love the work we do because we’re helping our patients live the healthiest lives possible.” #WeDoTheRightThing

Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital celebrated Zafiro Portillo Primera, a high school intern, Arrupe Jesuit High School graduate and recipient of the prestigious Daniels Scholarship. She has been accepted into the nursing program at Regis University. Zafiro is one of many students from Arrupe and Denver Public Schools who participate in an internship, mentorship, or job training program at the hospital each year. The internship at Saint Joseph influenced Portillo Primera's decision to pursue nursing in college, she said. She spent this past school year working at Saint Joe’s Education and Simulation Lab, creating materials for caregiver education including models for practicing medical procedures. She was nominated for a special employee recognition during the internship because of her passion and curiosity for learning. She shared that she hopes to come back to work at Saint Joe’s when she finishes her studies. Zafiro also interned at a corporate office but knew that her future career plans were in healthcare. She had heart surgery at the age of 10 and remembered how kind the nurses were and how the caregivers educated her about her condition. We can't wait to see what the future holds for you, Zafiro!

WEEK 6 Mental Health Exercise 1-Minute Meditation with Breath Focus Close your eyes and pay attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale for one full minute. Experience the breath coming in and the breath going out. Notice the path your breath takes through your body as you inhale and exhale. @thedefensiveline

Take pride in your health! Your care should be with those who understand, affirm, and celebrate you. Find clinically competent providers who support and respect your health journey. 🏳️🌈💪👩⚕️

Intermountain Health has been ranked the top large health system in the nation by Fortune magazine and PINC AI, as a part of their annual evaluation and rankings of the nation’s best health systems for 2024. The Fortune/PINC AI ranking is based off publicly available health data from 355 health systems across the country. The study looked at eight performance indicators including clinical outcomes, inpatient mortality, average length of hospital stays, and overall patient experience. This is Intermountain Health’s second consecutive year on the prestigious list – and the first time the health system has been being ranked number one. Intermountain continues to be a national leader in healthcare thanks to its outstanding clinical outcomes, cutting-edge medical research to enhance patient care, telehealth capabilities to enhance access, and focus on preventive care and overall wellness. Intermountain’s efforts have also brought a streamlined approach to ensure patients have access to the best medical care possible. By adopting best practices at all their hospitals and clinics it’s helping standardize high level of care in all the communities they serve.

Calling all new graduate RNs and current nursing students! Come connect with our team and learn more about our Utah and Idaho hospitals, our nurse residency program, and more at our upcoming RN New Grad Virtual Open House! Participants will be able to ask questions and connect with our nurse executive, nurse residency, and talent acquisition teams during this live event. Date: Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 Time: 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. MT Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams - a link to join will be shared with you after you RSVP Visit https://lnkd.in/gfuTK-aj to RSVP for this virtual event today - we look forward to connecting with you!