When people who are homeless are admitted to the hospital, what happens when they are healthy enough to be discharged but still have post-acute care needs? How can they safely recover when they don't have a home? These are questions that had long vexed Denver-area hospitals amid rising homelessness. A 75-bed recuperative care and medical respite facility that the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless opened in Denver in early 2023 is providing an answer. Hospitals that lease beds in the coalition's John Parvensky Stout Street Recuperative Care Center can discharge qualified patients who are homeless to those beds. Once there, patients receive help meeting post-acute care needs, accessing social services and securing housing. We are proud to be one of the health care partners that has been discharging unhoused patients to the center. Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver leases 10 beds, while the remaining Intermountain hospitals in the Denver area together lease 6 beds, including Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette, Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, and Platte Valley Hospital in Brighton. This partnership has reduced readmission rates and led to improved health outcomes. Since the center's opening, our hospitals have discharged 170 patients to the facility, with about one-third achieving stable housing or substance abuse treatment.
Every week, the serene sounds of shaman seeds, wave drums, rain sticks, and chimes fill the tranquil space of Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. These sessions, led by chaplain Terresa Newport, MDiv, BCCi, the spiritual care coordinator, are known as sound bathing classes. A sound bath is a unique approach to mental and physical wellness that has been gaining popularity and recognition. Terresa passionately introduces this modality to caregivers and patients alike, emphasizing its profound benefits. “I have found, and heard from our caregivers, that this modality of decompression is a convenient and effective way of taking a mental health break for however long the caregiver has time to take a break,” she said. These words encapsulate the essence of sound bathing: a practice designed to offer a moment of peace and relaxation amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life. As Terresa put it, “Sound bathing is an excellent way to 'zone out' for even a brief moment, become present, and let go of the day's stress.” The benefits are clear, and the growing popularity of these sessions speaks to their profound impact.
You may know our geographic footprint here at Intermountain Health — meaning how many states and which states we’re in. And yes, that’s important information. But how much do you know about the different types of care sites in each of those states? What does it mean when someone says they work at an ASC or that we have two quaternary hospitals in Utah? How does each care site complement the system? Whether you’re looking to understand more about our organization or you want to be a more informed healthcare consumer for yourself or a loved one, we’ve got the answers.
High quality health care doesn't have to exist solely in the clinic. Intermountain Health's traveling APP (Advanced Practice Provider) team in Nevada answers the call for patient needs by visiting them where they live. Traveling APPs regularly care for patients in their own homes (or skilled nursing facilities), conducting annual wellness checks, comprehensive health screenings, medication refills, and testing and lab work orders. Traveling APPs can also support the patient in reconnecting with their PCP and refer to specialists if needed. The team doesn't just focus on physical condition; they look at a thorough, all-encompassing view of the patient's life, including mental health, social wellness, home safety evaluation, and family relationships and support. All become visible during the home visits. They can refer the patient to care management or social support teams if complex needs were identified. The team is comprised of four full-time nurse practitioners and one part-time practitioner. They each see about six to seven patients a day. “Some patients I visited have valid reasons why they can’t see their doctor at the office," said APP Asbel Caligagan. "Just by refilling their maintenance medicines, they don’t have to worry about running out, by helping them sort their transportation problems, then I know that they can see their doctors on time."
For the sixth consecutive year, our adult transplant program is celebrating a record-breaking year in 2024! Our Adult Transplant program, located at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, successfully transplanted 489 organs in 2024, a significant increase from the 414 transplants performed in 2023. This also represents a growth of over 200% over the last five years and with this more than twice as many lives in the Mountain West have been saved. “Intermountain Health is one of very few programs operating in the Mountain West, making the expansion of services to underserved areas as the primary focus of our efforts,” said JoAnna Stephens, Intermountain Health adult transplant director. “Our mission is to provide access to transplantation for patients, no matter where they live, ensuring they receive the life-saving care they need.”
High school teacher Quentin Unsworth loves his community in Logan, Utah, but didn’t think owning a home was financially possible for his family. With help from the Rocky Mountain Homes Fund (RMHF), the Unsworths are now in their dream home. At Intermountain Health, we are proud to support community organizations and initiatives like RMHF that contribute to proactive health and improved well-being.
After an extensive national search, Intermountain Health has selected Cara Camiolo, MD, as our chief quality and safety officer. Dr. Camiolo is currently the chief medical officer for Intermountain Health’s Desert Region, which includes southwestern Utah and southern Nevada, and will begin her new position immediately. Dr. Camiolo has also served as a service line leader of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, as well as Pain Management, and an associate chief medical officer of Clinical Shared Services. Her leadership and dedication to quality and safety has guided Intermountain’s Desert Region to top performance in acute care quality for the last two years – and a five-star quality performance for Medicare Advantage members in Nevada. In her new role, Dr. Camiolo will lead Intermountain Health’s Clinical Excellence team to further enhance a centrally led, locally deployed model, meeting the needs of local facilities, markets, regions, and the enterprise, while advancing proactive care across the Intermountain Health system. “Dr. Camiolo is a proven champion of quality and safety. I’m excited for her to lead our amazing Clinical Excellence team that has helped to propel Intermountain to industry-leading top decile performance,” said JP Valin, MD, Intermountain Health chief clinical officer.
It’s only appropriate that someone whose last name is “Merry” be the bearer of good tidings during the holiday season. Bridget Sievers Merry, a Clinical Excellence patient experience operations manager, and her fellow merry-maker Jena Huck, a nurse director at St. Vincent Regional Hospital, recently partnered with the iAct program to make sure underprivileged children in Billings, Montana had a very merry Christmas. Together, Bridget and Jena used an iAct team volunteer activity grant to support The Santa Project, an initiative that provides filled stockings to underprivileged children. In collaboration with several local organizations and individuals, Bridget and Jena were able to fill 235 stockings. Here’s what they had to say about their experience.
If there’s one thing Alba Martinez Garcia wishes people knew about being a medical interpreter, it’s that it’s not just about knowing more than one language. It’s not just about knowing the medical vocabulary, either – although most people don’t. It’s about becoming invisible.
We are reminded of the true impact of compassionate care through stories like Dan Thomas's. A former cardiovascular patient at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Don returned to thank the caregivers who stood by his side during his recovery. His journey is even more remarkable, as he also underwent life-saving brain surgery a few years ago at the previous Lutheran Hospital after a serious fall from a cherry tree. We are honored to have saved his life twice, and his gratitude and resilience inspire us every day! 💙
