Intermountain Health

Two years ago, Stephanie Loy’s life looked radically different. Today, she’s a medical assistant at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver thanks to a workforce development program and collaboration between a Denver nonprofit, CrossPurpose, and Intermountain Health. “I always wanted to be in healthcare, but after I graduated high school, I was told I couldn’t go to college because I didn’t have the money,” Stephanie says. She worked two security jobs in downtown Denver; it wasn’t enough to pay her bills, nor did it give her purpose. “I wanted something better,” she says. Learn more about how this collaboration is allowing people without a college degree to work in healthcare by offering training and development opportunities: https://lnkd.in/g_3Yy8ge #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Jason Downing was working as a licensed practical nurse in rehabilitation when his wife was diagnosed with preeclampsia and ultimately had to deliver their first baby at 28 weeks. Born in Orem, Utah, Jason joined the Army after high school and got his LPN after basic training. He stayed in the reserves 14 years. During that time, he worked in the rehabilitation unit at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. He knew he wanted to pursue an RN, but it wasn’t until that premature delivery – and the three-month stay in the Utah Valley Hospital NICU that followed – that his career came into focus. 

Every year, nearly 40,000 babies are born at Intermountain hospitals — and many of them have connections to our caregivers! Mallory Mitton was born at Logan Regional Hospital, gave birth to her daughter there, and works there now. “Sometimes, when I walk into the building, I think about what a special place this is to me. I think about how my mom must have felt walking into the hospital to have me, her first child. When I did the same thing decades later, I felt excited, scared, and overjoyed all at once. I feel grateful to work in the same building where I took my first breath and so did my daughter.”

Chris Upton, MD, always felt a calling to become a doctor serving community members who might otherwise not have access to the medical care they needed.  It took a couple of years exploring every rock face he could climb – and exploring his inner self along way – to confirm this path and begin his journey into medicine. Two decades later, Dr. Upton serves his local community as a doctor and prepares other aspiring young people to serve their communities through medicine. And he still climbs – but now, most of his time with rope and harness is spent helping save lives as part of the Mesa County Search and Rescue team.  On Thursday, July 4, Dr. Upton participated in a Mesa County community event where, alongside his search and rescue teammates, he scaled Independence Monument and placed an American flag atop the iconic spire in the Colorado National Monument. “It’s a joyful thing, an exciting thing,” Dr. Upton said of the annual climb. “It’s there you realize you are part of a bigger thing; you are part of a community and energy that is beyond you as a human being. It’s a magical feeling.” That sense of community and that desire to contribute to something bigger is the driving force running through Dr. Upton’s story.  

For many of our caregivers, Intermountain Health has been in their lives since day one! Gregory Enke works as an online services supervisor now but started his journey as an newborn at Utah Valley Hospital, along with his siblings who were all born at Utah Valley Hospital too! Gregory has also been a patient several times at Intermountain Health facilities and credits the caregivers with saving his life a few times. "Intermountain has been my work family since 1997, I’m grateful for the heroic caregivers who make all the difference in our lives."

Every year, nearly 40,000 babies are born at Intermountain hospitals — and many of them have connections to our caregivers! And for many of employees, birth and their work with Intermountain health is a family affair! Steph Terry Strasser was born at LDS Hospital and delivered by her dad, Dr. Stephen Terry, co-founder of Cottonwood OB/GYN. Steph later worked as a scrub tech and CNA alongside her dad at Cottonwood Hospital including helping with some of his more than 17,000 deliveries. Steph gave birth to her three children at Intermountain hospitals, with her dad as the assisting surgeon twice. (“Who better to hold your baby first than Grandpa!”) Dr Terry passed away suddenly in 2018 and in his legacy Steph returned to the medical field where she now works as a rad tech at Cottonwood Instacare in the new building on the Cottonwood Hospital lot. "It’s so nostalgic to drive past where labor and delivery was and my dad’s old office. I am so grateful for his legacy and bringing quality care and personality to all he treated. I am honored to be his daughter." Photo 1: Dr. Terry showing his sons their new sister, Steph. Photo 2. Dr. Terry holding granddaughter Emma Photo 3: Steph at work as radiation tech, dressed as an x-ray for Halloween. Photo 4: Dr. Terry

WEEK 11 Mental Health Exercise Each sunset brings closure, and each sunrise brings new possibilities and both have beauty. —KARIN SCHWAN Sunrise to Sunset Appreciation Watch the sunrise or sunset sometime this week. Take a picture to remember the beauty in that moment.

Every year, nearly 40,000 babies are born at Intermountain hospitals — and many of them have connections to our caregivers! Natasha Green, director of HR communications, gave birth to her son at Riverton Hospital in 2020. At 14 pounds, 4 ounces, he is the biggest baby ever born in Utah. The hospital’s MarCom team marked the occasion by presenting Natasha and Logan with a special certificate. When he was 48 hours old, Logan was life-flighted to Primary Children’s. The care team had to get special permission to fly him on a regular child stretcher because he was too big for the baby version. He just celebrated his fourth birthday and his fourth ‘heartiversary’. Mom, Natasha, says he is a healthy, happy little boy who is obsessed with dinosaurs, Legos, and Goofy. You’d never know he was Utah’s largest baby or that he’s had two open heart surgeries or other health complications.

Every year, nearly 40,000 babies are born at Intermountain hospitals — and many of them have connections to you, our caregivers! A recent internal poll found that 62% of the nearly 900 caregivers who participated in the poll were born at Intermountain hospitals and 76% had children born at our hospitals! This week, we're sharing some of their stories! Jessica Foutz was born at Orem Community Hospital and frequently came to the hospital to volunteer with her grandma as a child, which started her passion for healthcare and was the reason she became a nurse. “Working at OCH was my dream job, and I was ecstatic when I was offered a job as a Women's Center nurse there right out of nursing school.” Jessica delivered all three of her children at Orem Community and was on shift when her water broke with her first two babies.

As a large rural hospital, Cassia Regional Hospital helps its community in Burley, Idaho access safe, best-in-quality care. Carly Nelson, environmental services manager, meets patient needs by taking care of them and their families, and by making sure her team and the whole hospital know they have each other's backs. “I come to work with the expectation that I’m going to do the best possible in my job and support other caregivers by giving them the tools to give 100%,” she said. #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives