Intermountain Health

A sharp eye and some fortunate timing helped save medications worth hundreds of thousands of dollars recently at Alta View Hospital’s infusion center.   As a team of technicians was cleaning the pharmacy on a Friday afternoon, a refrigerator cord came loose from the plugin. Typically, that would result in alerts being sent out, but in this case, the alert escalation system failed, said Alta View pharmacy director Mindi Robbins.   Fortunately, on Saturday morning, HVAC technician Ted Lewis was performing preventative maintenance and noticed a TempTrack alarm indicating the temperature was out of range. He notified the pharmacy, and pharmacist Erica Hill responded, quickly moving all the medications from that refrigerator to the hospital.   From there, the pharmacy team reviewed each impacted medication. Intern James Gustat and technician Nicole Wilson contacted manufacturers to verify the temperature requirements for each medication. A few had to be discarded, but the majority were saved and put to use.   “We were able to save most of the medications,” Mindi said. “If we hadn’t discovered this until Monday, hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of inventory would have been lost.”   The team is reviewing processes and adding quality checks to regularly test alerts in the future. But thanks to Ted’s quick response, patient care was not delayed.   “Of all the fridges on the campus, this is the one that houses the most expensive drugs by far,” Mindi said. “Any other fridge could have gone out, and it would not have caused much trouble. It was really great work by Ted, and the rest of us reacted to his great catch.” Article written by: Lance Frazier #GoodCatch #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

As Intermountain Health celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we’re proudly honoring the extraordinary caregivers who have served for 50 years or more in our legacy hospitals and clinics. This includes Judy Allen, Luanne Day, Barbara Lombardy, and Connie Trautmann, whose stories are filled with heart, resilience, and a deep commitment to serving others. Together, they represent more than 200 years of combined service delivering our mission in the communities we serve. Article written by: Mackenzie Quinn #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Strokes happen for many reasons. Arterial plaque, atrial fibrillation, genetic disease, even chronic inflammation can all play a role. About 40% of patients leave the hospital without a cause identified. At McKay-Dee's outpatient stroke clinic, APPs follow up with those patients to accomplish just that. They complete patients’ workups, order additional tests, and help patients understand what happened and how to prevent it going forward. Happy #APPWeek 2025 to all the 2,100 APPs across Intermountain – for their unwavering dedication to our patients.

At 88, Gary Hugie isn’t slowing down—not even after a colon and liver cancer diagnosis. With his sights set on turning 100 and spending more time camping with his family, Gary is embracing life and a groundbreaking treatment: Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump Therapy (HAIP). As the first patient in Southern Utah to receive this targeted therapy at Intermountain Cedar City Cancer Center, Gary’s journey is a powerful story of resilience, family support, and the life-changing impact of bringing advanced cancer care close to home. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gzsfaVHt #WeAreLeadersInClinicalExcellence #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

Advanced Practice Providers play a big role in neonatal care at Intermountain. “We can bring neonatal expertise to smaller hospitals, preventing unnecessary transfers,” said Tyler Dunyon, NP. “This allows babies and their families to stay with their support systems.”  Happy #APPWeek 2025, and big thanks to these neonatal APPs – and to all the 2,100 APPs across Intermountain – for their unwavering dedication to our patients. We APPreciate you! #MissionAPPossible #Babies 

Breaking barriers in healthcare: Intermountain Health St. James Hospital in Butte is bringing life-saving breast cancer screenings directly to incarcerated women in Montana with its Mobile Mammography Unit. "It is part of our mission to ensure that all women have access to screening for breast cancer because we know that early detection saves lives," said Jerri Doyle, director of Oncology Services at St. James Hospital. “Seeing other people do it encourages other women to get their mammogram,” said Sandi Cantrell, an inmate at Riverside Women’s Correctional Facility in Boulder. “Cancer shows no prejudice – it's out for all of us, and I am very blessed that they bring this care directly to us." Read how this innovative outreach is making a difference: https://lnkd.in/gPhigQ-J

Viet Le an assistant professor and cardiology PA at Intermountain Health, explains how a cardiac calcium score can be effective in predicting the risk of heart attack and overall mortality in both women and men.

For Melissa C. Banner MBA, MSN, RN, OCN, executive clinical director of the Oncology Clinical Program at Intermountain Health, oncology is personal. When both her children were born prematurely and cared for in the NICU at Primary Children’s Hospital, she saw nurses support her entire family. Later, her husband’s liver transplant reinforced the power of whole-family care. These experiences shaped her calling. Melissa brings deep empathy, gratitude, and resilience to every patient and family she meets. Article written by: Jackie Johnson #WeArePartnersInHealth #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

At American Fork Hospital in American Fork, Utah, Keith Pennington, maintenance supervisor, saw a drought not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity to reimagine outdoor spaces. His “caregiver courtyard” blends therapeutic landscape design with smart water conservation, creating a sanctuary for staff and patients alike. Read how we are redefining environmental care and human-centered design. Article written by: Lance Frazier #Sustainability #HealthcareDesign #CaregiverWellbeing #WaterConservation #TogetherForTheHealthiestLives

K9 service animal Azula is back to work after a serious injury last month in Tremonton, Utah. Recently, she and her partner got to meet the team that saved her life—all thanks to a brand new program designed to care for public safety animals. After Azula, was injured she was transported in a medical helicopter by an Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance team to MedVet Salt Lake City animal hospital where specialized veterinarians cared for her. Azula was the first K9 injured in the line of duty to be transported by the program, which includes a unique collaboration between the Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance service and local veterinarians, specialized animal hospitals, and public safety agencies.  The first of its kind program in Utah – and only the third in the United States.