U.S. News & World Report has named Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital the 2026-2027 Best Hospital in Colorado in its latest edition of Best Hospitals.

Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital also ranked as the No. 1 hospital in the Denver metro area, according to U.S. News & World Report.

For heart and vascular care, Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital ranked No. 1 in the metro area and across Colorado.

The hospital, which celebrates its 153rd anniversary this year, was noted as high performing in 21 specialties, procedures and conditions, including geriatric care and pulmonology and lung surgery.

“This recognition belongs to the physicians, nurses, caregivers, and leaders at Saint Joseph Hospital whose commitment to excellence, safety and compassion continues to raise the standard for health care across our state,” said Amy Blasing, president of Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital. “We are proud to be named the number one hospital in Colorado and remain focused on delivering outstanding care to every person who needs us as we have done for more than 150 years.”

U.S. News evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals across 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures and conditions; only 16% of evaluated hospitals earn a Best Hospitals designation.

“Having Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital named the top hospital in Colorado is a tremendous achievement,” said Scott Peek, Front Range market president for Intermountain Health. “This recognition not only speaks to the culture of excellence there, but also to the strength of our entire system. When one of our hospitals is recognized at this level, it reinforces the standards we strive for across every facility and every community we serve.”

To determine the Best Hospitals, U.S. News analyzes each hospital’s performance based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and patient experience.

The Best Hospitals Specialty rankings methodology and Procedures & Conditions ratings methodology measure patient outcomes using data from over 800 million records of patient care.

“A hospital named among the U.S. News Best Hospitals has demonstrated its commitment to high-quality care, especially in achieving successful outcomes for patients,” said Ben Harder, U.S. News’ managing editor and chief of health analysis. “A Best Hospitals recognition reflects consistent top-tier medical care to its community.”

U.S. News announced 505 Best Regional Hospitals that have demonstrated superior outcomes including Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital’s No. 1 ranking in Colorado. Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction ranked seventh in the state.

Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital was ranked fourth in Colorado for rehabilitation, and was rated high-performing in seven specialties, procedures and conditions.

Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette was rated high-performing in seven specialties, procedures and conditions. Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge was rated high-performing in three specialties, procedures and conditions.

For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok and X.

Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver has been recognized by EMS for Children Colorado with a Colorado Pediatric Preparedness for the Emergency Room (COPPER) designation, confirming the hospital’s emergency department is equipped, trained, and organized to deliver high-quality care for infants, children, and adolescents.

Intermountain Health’s Northglenn freestanding emergency department has also earned COPPER designation, becoming the first and only freestanding emergency department in the region to achieve this recognition.

In the United States, approximately 83% of children seeking emergency care are treated in general emergency departments rather than specialized pediatric facilities. 

Research shows pediatric-prepared emergency departments can reduce pediatric trauma mortality by up to 60%, highlighting the importance of readiness in community hospitals.

The COPPER designation reflects a comprehensive review of pediatric emergency preparedness, including specialized staffing, ongoing training, pediatric-focused protocols, and continuous quality improvement efforts.

At Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital, this work is driven by a multidisciplinary Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC) team made up of emergency physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing leadership, and frontline nurses. 

The team leads pediatric-specific education, quarterly mock trauma scenarios, and chart reviews to ensure the highest standard of care for young patients.

Simulations regularly bring together physicians, nurses, lab, radiology, and patient access teams, reinforcing that pediatric readiness is a shared responsibility across the emergency department.

“Every child deserves access to exceptional emergency care when they need it most,” said Ryan Paterson, MD, emergency department chairman at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital. “Achieving this COPPER certification reflects our commitment to clinical excellence and our investment in ensuring our emergency departments are fully prepared to meet the unique needs of pediatric patients. This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our physicians, nurses, and support teams who work every day to provide safe, timely, and compassionate care to the children and families we serve.”

The COPPER designation assures patients, families, and EMS partners that Saint Joseph Hospital and the Northglenn emergency department are prepared to care for children of all ages, from newborns to teens, with specialized equipment, training, and protocols designed to quickly and effectively recognize and treat serious illness or injury.

Intermountain Health and National Jewish Health are offering a new minimally invasive therapy that helps patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) breathe easier, be more active, and improve their daily quality of life.  

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) uses small one-way valves placed into the airways to reduce lung hyperinflation. Lung hyperinflation develops when the lungs can't completely push out air during exhalation. This leads to air being trapped and the lungs overexpanding, which puts the patient at risk for heart and breathing complications. 

Currently within Denver, this therapy is only available at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital and National Jewish Health. 

“Our goal is to identify the patients who will benefit most from this therapy,” said Kristen Glisinski, MD, interventional pulmonologist at National Jewish Health. “When someone is a good candidate, BLVR can make a meaningful difference in their ability to breathe and stay active.” 

Because BLVR is effective only for select patients, individuals undergo a comprehensive outpatient evaluation before the procedure. Assessments can be completed at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital or National Jewish Health and include CT imaging, pulmonary function testing and a clinical review of medical history. Patients must meet specific lung function criteria and can’t be current smokers.  

“While valves are not the right answer for every patient with COPD, the therapy has improved the quality of life for many,” said Sohini Ghosh, MD, interventional pulmonologist at National Jewish Health. “It is a great option for a chronic disease with limited treatment options.” 

The procedure is performed at Saint Joseph Hospital using a bronchoscope and requires no incisions. Most patients are monitored in the hospital for at least three nights and continue their prescribed COPD medications after discharge. 

To learn more or schedule an evaluation to see if you qualify, call 303-514-2394. 

Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital celebrated the opening of its newest cancer center, a major expansion that strengthens access to coordinated, comprehensive oncology care for patients throughout Colorado.  

Designed over the past year with significant patient feedback, the new center reflects Intermountain Health’s commitment to creating a more comfortable and intuitive experience for individuals navigating cancer treatment.  

The space brings all major oncology services into one central location and offers expanded treatment capacity, updated clinical technology, and a layout tailored to patient needs.  

“Our goal was to build a space that reflects the dignity, comfort, and coordinated support every patient deserves,” said Sarah Pike, oncology service line director at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital. “By expanding our treatment areas and bringing services together in one place, we’re able to provide more seamless, patient-centered care.”  

As the design came together, Pike said the team focused heavily on how patients move through their care.  

“This center was designed with our patients’ voices at the heart of every decision. Every design choice, from the layout of the infusion bays to the flow between clinics, was made to reduce stress and improve comfort,” she said. “Cancer care is complex, but the experience shouldn’t feel overwhelming.”  

The new space includes two treatment and procedure rooms, eight additional infusion bays with private and semiprivate options, an expanded rehabilitation gym, and an additional mammography machine. The breast surgery clinic has also moved to the same floor as breast imaging, creating a more efficient and coordinated experience for breast cancer patients.  

The celebration also included Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera and leaders from the Colorado Cancer Coalition and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, who introduced Colorado’s new Five-Year Cancer Plan. 

“This facility represents hope, innovation, and the very best in cancer care for our community,” said Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera. “Addressing cancer is deeply personal to me, as I have been diagnosed with four different cancers, on four separate occasions, so I understand firsthand the challenges that patients and their loved ones face medically, financially, emotionally and spiritually.”  

Intermountain Health clinical leaders highlighted how the expanded center will strengthen cancer care across the region.  

“This is an exciting moment, not just for our team, but for every patient and family we serve,” said Kevin Dryanski, oncology service line director for Intermountain Health’s Peaks Region in Colorado. “Our mission is to continually elevate the standard of care. By expanding our space and capabilities, we’re better equipped than ever to support patients throughout every stage of their cancer journey.”  

Dryanski added that the new center positions Saint Joseph Hospital as a strong partner in statewide cancer care.  

“This expansion strengthens cancer care not just at Saint Joseph Hospital, but across the entire Intermountain Health region,” he said. “It allows us to meet growing demand while improving coordination across our oncology programs.”  The new cancer center began seeing patients Feb. 24. 

Note for Media: Additional video and images available upon request.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital for its demonstrated commitment to comprehensive and high-quality cardiovascular care. 

Saint Joseph Hospital was awarded the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence for meeting accreditation criteria and ongoing performance registry reporting. 

Hospitals and health systems that have earned a HeartCARE Center designation have met a rigorous set of criteria. This includes participation in at least two ACC Accreditation Services programs, National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) registries and targeted quality improvement campaigns such as the Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI, which are designed to help hospitals and institutions close gaps in guideline-based care. 

Additionally, Saint Joseph Hospital has achieved NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, and is also accredited for Cardiac Cath Lab with PCI, Chest Pain Center with PCI and Resuscitation, and Transcatheter Valve. 

Saint Joseph Hospital is ranked as High Performing in Heart Attack care from US News and World Report for all procedures including Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Aortic Valve Surgery, Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Heart Bypass Surgery, and TAVR, and top star ratings as designated by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), which places the hospital among the top hospitals in the nation. 

“This designation provides evidence of the elite status of Saint Joseph Hospital’s quality of cardiovascular care,” said Amy Blasing, president of Saint Joseph Hospital. 

“Saint Joseph Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Saint Joe’s with the HeartCARE Center designation.” 

Hospitals receiving the HeartCARE Center designation from the ACC have demonstrated their commitment to consistent, high-quality cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement, disease and procedure-specific accreditation, professional excellence, and community engagement. 

Saint Joseph Hospital has proven to be a forward-thinking institution with goals to advance the cause of sustainable quality improvement. 
 

Intermountain Health will host four Heart Health Fairs on Friday, Feb. 6 across Colorado to kick off National Heart Month, reminding the community that good heart health can be a team sport.

The events in Denver, Grand Junction, Lafayette and Wheat Ridge, will give community members education and tools to help them improve heart health.

Abbie Donaldson, RN, is the chest pain coordinator at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital and spent several years working in the cardiac intensive care unit and cardiac cath lab. She said knowing that individuals can make a difference in heart health has inspired her work.   

“With risk factor modification and educating the community on heart attack care and CPR, we can come together, and we can take actionable measures to help people save lives,” she said.  

At the health fair, people can practice hands-only CPR. Donaldson said accurate, aggressive CPR started on someone who has suffered a cardiac event outside the hospital increases that person’s chance of survival by 85-90%. They also can see a demonstration of an automated external defibrillator (AED) that can be lifesaving when used with someone who has lethal heart arrythmia.   

“The best thing to do when someone suffers from a cardiac event is to start CPR, call for help and have someone go find an AED nearby,” Donaldson said.   

Other topics covered at the health fairs will include:  

• Smoking cessation
• Symptoms of heart attack or stroke
• Stroke education and prevention
• Heart-healthy exercise
• Mindfulness and stress reduction
• Blood pressure screening
• Hands-only CPR and AED demonstrations
• Nutrition and healthy snacks
• American Heart Association information and more. 

Health fairs will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6 at Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital, 200 Exempla Circle, Lafayette; Lutheran Hospital, 12911 W. 40th Ave., Wheat Ridge; and Saint Joseph Hospital, 1375 E. 19th Ave., Denver. In Grand Junction at Intermountain Health St. Mary's Regional Hospital, 2635 N. 7th St., the event is 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 6.

Organizers encourage everyone to Wear Red for the day to celebrate the kickoff of National Heart Month.

Note: If members of the media want to attend, please contact Sara Quale, sara.quale@imail.org or call 970-310-3749, to coordinate.    

U.S. News & World Report has named 26 Intermountain Health hospitals to its 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care for mom and baby outcomes, education, and patient satisfaction.

The 26 Intermountain hospitals earned a high performing designation in maternity care for uncomplicated pregnancies in areas such as cesarean sections in lower-risk pregnancies, vaginal births after cesarean-section (VBAC) rates, newborn severe complications rates, birthing friendly and education practices, and outcome disparities based on race/ethnicity, among other measures.

Intermountain Health has more hospitals named by U.S. News & World Report for 2026 than any other health system in the country.

Intermountain hospitals cited by U.S. News & World Report for 2026 include:

• Intermountain Health American Fork Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health Cassia Regional Hospital (Burley, Idaho)*
• Intermountain Health Cedar City Hospital (Utah)*
• Intermountain Health Delta Community Hospital (Utah)*
• Intermountain Health Garfield Memorial Hospital (Panguitch, Utah)*
• Intermountain Health Heber Valley Hospital (Utah)*
• Intermountain Health Holy Rosary Hospital (Miles City, Mont.)
• Intermountain Health Intermountain Medical Center (Murray, Utah)
• Intermountain Health Layton Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health LDS Hospital (Salt Lake City)
• Intermountain Health Logan Regional Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital (Wheat Ridge, Colo.
• Intermountain Health McKay-Dee Hospital (Ogden, Utah)
• Intermountain Health Orem Community Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health Park City Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health Platte Valley Hospital (Brighton, Colo.)
• Intermountain Health Riverton Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital (Denver)
• Intermountain Health Sanpete Valley Hospital (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)*
• Intermountain Health Sevier Valley Hospital (Richfield, Utah)*
• Intermountain Health Spanish Fork Hospital (Utah)
• Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital (Utah)*
• Intermountain Health St. James Hospital (Butte, Mont.)*
• Intermountain Health St. Mary's Hospital (Grand Junction, Colo.)
• Intermountain Health St. Vincent Hospital (Billings, Mont.)
• Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital (Provo, Utah

"This recognition is meaningful because it reflects what families experience at the bedside: safe, consistent, high quality, compassionate care," said Sean Esplin, MD, a maternal fetal medicine physician and senior medical director of women’s health at Intermountain Health.

"Our clinical program has worked across hospitals to align on proven evidence-based care practices to lower cesarean-section rates in low‑risk pregnancies, thoughtfully support VBAC deliveries, reduce newborn complications, elevate patient education, and advance equity so every mother and baby can expect excellent outcomes," he added.

U.S. News also recognizes Maternity Care Access Hospitals, which provide maternity services to communities that might otherwise have inadequate access to maternity care, sometimes referred to as "maternity care deserts." The report identified 147 critical access hospitals in total, with nine Intermountain hospitals making the list (noted "*" above).

Intermountain  Health is determined to provide the highest quality care to pregnant and postpartum patients and their babies, by improving outcomes and access to care within its six-state region. For example, Intermountain recently announced an innovative care program for pregnant and postpartum women with hypertension, and published a study identifying hypertension risks during pregnancy.

Receiving this designation is evidence of the unwavering dedication of our nurses, physicians, midwives, and teams who show up for mothers and babies every day to deliver high‑quality care—and a reminder to keep improving together, for every family we serve,” added Dr. Esplin.

For more information regarding Intermountain Health pregnancy and maternity services, please visit https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/womens-health/pregnancy.

Click here for more information about the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.

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Dieciséis hospitales de Intermountain Health han recibido premios de liderazgo en calidad 2025 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, de Vizient por demostrar excelencia en la atención clínica y al paciente de alta calidad.

Tres hospitales, Intermountain Health Fillmore Community, Intermountain Park City e Intermountain St. George Regional, obtuvieron el primer puesto a nivel nacional dentro de su categoría.

Vizient, una destacada empresa de mejoras en el desempeño en la atención médica, clasificó a los hospitales de Intermountain como los de mejor desempeño en la atención médica en su Estudio anual de calidad y responsabilidad, en el que se analiza la información de 1220 hospitales de todo el país. En el estudio, se midió la calidad de la atención al paciente en función de seis factores: seguridad del paciente, mortalidad, eficacia, eficiencia, enfoque en el paciente y variación en la atención.

“Estos premios confirman que las prioridades con las que se compromete Intermountain (seguridad, alta fiabilidad, calidad y el enfoque centrado en el paciente) no solo son aspiraciones, sino también realidades que se dan en todo nuestro sistema”, expresó Cara Camiolo, MD, directora de calidad y seguridad de Intermountain Health. “Este reconocimiento es el resultado directo de la dedicación y el trabajo duro de nuestros empleados de primera línea y gerentes que brindan atención de alta calidad”.

Los hospitales de Intermountain Health obtuvieron una clasificación en las siguientes categorías:

Centro médico académico integral

• Intermountain Medical Center:  puesto 4

Hospital de acceso crítico 

• Intermountain Health Fillmore Community Hospital: puesto 1
• Intermountain Health Cassia Regional Hospital: puesto 6
• Intermountain Health Heber Community Hospital: puesto 11

Centro médico de atención compleja

• Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital: puesto 13

Hospital comunitario

• Intermountain Health American Fork Hospital: puesto 2
• Intermountain Health LDS Hospital: puesto 6

Centro médico grande de atención compleja y especializada

• Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital: puesto 1
• Intermountain Health McKay-Dee Hospital: puesto 4
• Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital: puesto 13

Hospital comunitario pequeño

• Intermountain Health Park City Hospital: puesto 1
• Intermountain Health Layton Hospital: puesto 2
• Intermountain Health Sevier Valley Hospital: puesto 4
• Intermountain Health Spanish Fork Hospital: puesto 9
• Intermountain Health Cedar City Hospital: puesto 16
• Intermountain Health Alta View Hospital: puesto 18

En el estudio, se consideran las mediciones de la base de datos clínicos de Vizient y se incluye la información de desempeño de la encuesta de Evaluación del consumidor de hospital sobre los profesionales y los sistemas de atención médica y la Red de seguridad de atención médica nacional de CDC.

Con el estudio de calidad y responsabilidad de Vizient, los hospitales y los sistemas de salud participantes pueden comprender su desempeño frente a sus pares e identificar estructuras y procesos relacionados con el alto rendimiento en la calidad y la seguridad en un amplio espectro de actividad de atención al paciente. El periodo de reconocimiento incluye el trabajo realizado entre el 1 de julio de 2024 y el 30 de junio de 2025.

Para ver la lista completa de hospitales de este año, haga clic aquí.

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A new anesthesia group is now providing anesthesia care for patients at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. 

Sound Anesthesia began caring for patients at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital on Aug. 26.   
  
Sound Anesthesia is part of the national multi-specialty physician group Sound Physicians, which based in Nashville, Tennessee – and includes medical practice leaders, anesthesiologists, and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) who will work full time with surgeons and caregivers at Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital.  
  
Anesthesiologists and CRNAs are trained clinicians who manage the care of patients during medical or surgical procedures through drug administration that reduces or eliminates pain. They are important in labor and delivery units for laboring mothers who request help managing pain and during cesarean deliveries.   
  
“We are confident that our partnership with Sound Anesthesia will strengthen our anesthesia services and enhance the experience for our patients and surgeons alike,” said John Tynes, MD, chief medical officer at Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital.   
  
“This marks an exciting new chapter as we work together to enhance surgical care and ensure our continued excellence in patient safety and providing an excellent work environment for surgeons,” Dr. Tynes said.   
  
“Our team is committed to providing exceptional, safe, and comfortable perioperative care for the patients of Saint Joseph,” said Dr. David Leachman, CEO of Sound Anesthesia. “We’re grateful to have a collaborative partner in Saint Joseph and feel fortunate to serve this community.”  
  
Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital provides a broad range of surgical services and medical procedures including general surgery, heart, bariatric, orthopedic, spine, gynecologic, breast, lung, plastic and reconstructive, and more, as well as labor and delivery services. 

For more information, please visit Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/intermountain-health-saint-joseph-hospital

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Intermountain Health has named veteran healthcare executive Amy Blasing president of Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver.   

Blasing has more than 30 years of experience and began her career as a nurse. She is deeply committed to providing quality experiences both for patients and for those who care for them, and she brings a compassionate, people-centered approach to leadership.  

Most recently, Blasing was the chief executive officer of Lovelace Westside Hospital and Lovelace Women’s Hospital of Ardent Health/Lovelace Health System in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

During that time, Blasing’s accomplishments included developing strong relationships within the healthcare community and recruiting provider groups, driving significant improvement in patient experience scores by implementing a culture of trust, transparency and safety, and exceeding financial performance targets.

Additionally, Blasing holds a Master of Science in nursing administration and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.  

“Amy shared that she was drawn to this position because of the impeccable reputation Saint Joseph Hospital has for delivering high-quality, compassionate care,” said Scott Peek, president of Intermountain Health’s Front Range market. “She is very excited to join an organization with such a long history of caring for the community and plans to spend her first 100 days getting to know caregivers and providers and developing relationships in the community.” 

Outside of work, Blasing enjoys traveling, the outdoors, crafting, and trips to theme parks. She and her husband are proud parents of three grown children and share their home with three golden retrievers, Dug, Kevin, and Russell, all named after characters from Disney’s “Up”.  

“We are excited that Amy is joining Saint Joseph Hospital and feels a strong connection to our mission and the collective calling established for us by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth to serve the Denver community. She is well positioned to lead this organization that has proven to be an essential part of the state’s fabric for more than 150 years, through the next chapter of its very bright future,” Peek said. 

Blasing begins her new role on July 28. 

Seis neonatólogos trabajan las 24 horas del día, 7 días a la semana, los 365 días del año en la unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales (NICU, por sus siglas en inglés), teniendo como objetivo el cuidado médico de bebés recién nacidos, incluyendo aquellos que han nacido enfermos o han nacido antes de tiempo.

“Los neonatólogos son la razón por la que nuestro hijo está vivo”, dijo Briana Meketuk de Keenesburg, Colorado, cuyo hijo, Lowell, pasó 168 días en la NICU del Saint Joseph Hospital de Intermountain. “Siempre estaremos agradecidos por todo lo que hicieron para poder llevarnos a nuestro hijo a casa”.

Ambr Gieri, MD, una neonatóloga certificada por la junta, dijo que su campo requiere un conocimiento intrincado y habilidades de cuidado compasivo para cuidar algunos de los pacientes más vulnerables.

“La fisiología en los bebés es muy diferente que la de los adultos y requiere un especialista capacitado en el cuidado de neonatos prematuros o a término que están enfermos”, dijo.

Las responsabilidades principales de un neonatólogo incluyen la diagnosis y el tratamiento, trabajar con equipos de cuidados médicos, y guiar y apoyar a los padres.

Los neonatólogos diagnostican y tratan a los recién nacidos con una variedad de condiciones que van desde dificultad respiratoria, infecciones y defectos de nacimiento a problemas más complejos como una enfermedad cardíaca congénita y trastornos genéticos. Siempre observan los signos vitales y la salud en general de los recién nacidos, y ajustan el cuidado según sea necesario para ayudar con la estabilidad y la recuperación.

La colaboración con el equipo de cuidados médicos más amplio es crítica para el cuidado proporcionado en la NICU.

Los neonatólogos trabajan de cerca con los/as enfermeros/as, terapeutas respiratorios, cirujanos, dietistas y terapeutas de desarrollo para desarrollar e implementar planes de cuidado completos para cada recién nacido.

La doctora Gieri ha estado en el grupo de médicos del Saint Joseph Hospital por seis años mientras que otros neonatólogos han estado allí hasta 20 años.

Hasta hace poco, eran contratados por un grupo de médicos grande independiente. Cuando ese grupo anunció que ya no iban a proveer cuidados neonatales en Intermountain Health, la doctora Gieri y sus colegas decidieron cambiar de empleador para poder mantener su trabajo en Saint Joseph.

“De verdad que esta es una NICU especial”, dijo la doctora Gieri. “Hubo muchos factores que tuvieron un papel en que todos nosotros quisiéramos quedarnos. La historia de esta unidad es única. Está muy bien establecida con una plantilla dedicada de enfermeras, terapeutas, farmaceutas y dietistas, quienes están dedicados a los mejores resultados para nuestros pacientes y sus familias”.

Ella dijo que el equipo de Intermountain Saint Joseph tiene fama de ser progresivo y de estar centrado en el paciente y la familia. Ella mencionó que el hospital adoptó temprano el uso de leche materna donada porque reconocieron el beneficio que tenía para los bebés.

“Todos los médicos y trabajadores tenemos un compromiso entre nosotros de asegurarnos de alcanzar los resultados mejores posibles para nuestros pacientes. Este compromiso inquebrantable nos hizo querer quedarnos”, dijo.

A lo largo de esta primavera, dos neonatólogos adicionales se unirán al grupo. Juntos, apoyarán los cuatro hospitales de Intermountain Health en el área metropolitana de Denver.

Además de cuidar de los bebés, los neonatólogos también proveen apoyo emocional e informativo crítico para los padres, ayudándoles a entender la condición del niño, las opciones de tratamiento y la prognosis.

Ellos guían a los padres en cuanto a los cuidados del recién nacido una vez que se le haya dado el alta. Los bebés y sus familias a menudo están en la NICU por varios meses y desarrollan una relación cercana con los profesionales de cuidados médicos, dijo ella.

“Les explicamos (a los padres) lo que su estancia larga en la NICU va a ser. Puede ser intimidante a veces, pero cuando un bebé alcanza la fecha de alta es muy satisfactorio”, dijo ella. “Nos complace tener la oportunidad de colaborar con las familias, y eso es clave para que los bebés mejoren”.

Meketuk dijo  que los neonatólogos hacían visitas todos los días y la involucraban a ella y a su esposo en las conversaciones diarias para que ellos estuvieran al tanto del plan que iban a seguir ese día o si había algún cambio necesario en el cuidado de Lowell.

Lowell, quien tiene 2 años ahora, nació a las 24 semanas de gestación debido a la ruptura temprana y prematura de las membranas de la madre.

“Los primeros días de vida, cuando todo era intimidante, ellos siempre venían para asegurarse de que estábamos bien y de que teníamos un buen entendimiento del cuidado médico que él estaba recibiendo”, dijo ella.

Meketuk dijo que una de las cosas más difíciles en cuanto a tener un bebé extremadamente prematuro es el sentimiento de ser padre/madre. Ella dijo que el equipo médico siempre se aseguró de que tanto ella como su esposo pudieran hacer todo lo posible en el cuidado del bebé.

“Siempre supimos que nuestro hijo estaba recibiendo el mejor cuidado posible con los neonatólogos que teníamos”, dijo.

Intermountain Health da la bienvenida a seis neonatólogos quienes actualmente están cuidando recién nacidos y sus familias en las NICU de Good Samaritan Hospital en Lafayette, Lutheran Hospital en Wheat Ridge, Platte Valley Hospital en Brighton y Saint Joseph Hospital en Denver. Los médicos que proporcionan este cuidado incluyen a:

• Amber Gieri, MD 
• Anette Kunig, MD 
• Ann Ryan, MD 
• Brittany Butler, MD 
• Corrie Alonzo, MD 
• Yin Stein, MD

A group of physicians at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver care for some of the hospital’s tiniest patients, but their impact on families is enormous. 

Six neonatologists work 24/7/365 in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), focusing on the medical care of newborn infants, including those who are ill or born early.  

“The neonatologists are the reason our son is alive,” said Briana Meketuk of Keenesburg, Colorado, whose son, Lowell, spent 168 days at Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital’s NICU. “We will forever be grateful for everything they did that allowed us to bring our son home.” 

Amber Gieri, MD, an Intermountain board-certified neonatologist, said her field requires intricate knowledge and compassionate caregiving skills to care for some of the most vulnerable patients. 

“The physiology in babies is very different from that of adults and requires a specialist trained in the care of premature or critically ill full-term neonates,” she said. 

The primary responsibilities of a neonatologist include diagnosis and treatment, working with healthcare teams, and guiding and supporting parents.  

Neonatologists diagnose and treat newborns with a variety of conditions ranging from respiratory distress, infections, and birth defects to more complex issues like congenital heart disease and genetic disorders. They continuously observe the vital signs and overall health of newborns and adjust care as needed to help with stability and recovery. 

Collaboration with the larger healthcare team is critical to the care provided in the NICU. 

Neonatologists work closely with nurses, respiratory therapists, surgeons, dietitians, and developmental therapists to develop and implement comprehensive care plans for each newborn. 

Dr. Gieri has been on the medial staff at Saint Joseph Hospital for six years while the other neonatologists have been there as long as 20. 

Until recently, they were employed by an independent large physician group. When that group announced it would no longer provide neonatal care at Intermountain Health, Dr. Gieri and her colleagues decided to change employers so they could maintain their work at Saint Joseph.  

“It really is a special NICU,” Dr. Gieri said. "Many factors played into all of us wanting to stay. The history of this unit is unique. It is very well established with a committed staff of nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and dietitians who are all invested in the best outcomes for our patients and their families.”  

She said the team at Intermountain Saint Joseph has a history of being progressive and patient- and family-centered. She noted the hospital was an early adopter in using donor breast milk because they recognized the benefits to the babies.  

“There is a commitment amongst all our staff and providers to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. That unwavering commitment made us want to stay,” she said. 

Later this spring two additional neonatologists will join the group. Together they support all four Intermountain Health hospitals in the Denver metro area.  

In addition to caring for babies, neonatologists also provide critical emotional and informational support to parents, helping them understand their child’s condition, treatment options, and prognosis. 

They guide parents on how to care for their newborn once they are discharged from the hospital. Babies and their families often stay in the NICU for several months and develop close relationships with their caregivers, she said.  

“We walk (parents) through what’s going to be a long NICU stay. It can be scary at times, but getting a baby to the date of discharge is very rewarding,” she said. “We enjoy the opportunity to partner with families, and that is key to the babies doing well.”  

Meketuk said neonatologists stopped every day and involved her and her husband in daily discussions, so they were aware of what the plan was for that day or if any changes were necessary for Lowell’s care.  

Lowell, now 2 years old, was born at 24 weeks gestation due to preterm, premature rupture of her membranes.  

“In the early days of his life when things were scary, they would always come in and check on us to make sure we were doing OK and made sure we had a good understanding of what care he was receiving,” she said. 

Meketuk said one of the hardest things about having an extremely premature baby is feeling like you are a parent. She said the care team always made sure she and her husband could do as much as possible when it came to caring for their baby.  

“We always knew our son was receiving the best care possible with the neonatologists we had,” she said.  

Intermountain Health welcomes the six neonatologists currently caring for newborns and families in the NICUs at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette, Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Platte Valley Hospital in Brighton, and Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. 

The physicians are: 

Amber Gieri, MD 

Anette Kunig, MD 

Ann Ryan, MD 

Brittany Butler, MD 

Corrie Alonzo, MD 

Yin Stein, MD

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading killer in the U.S., and at least six in 10 U.S. adults (61%), more than 184 million people, are expected to have some type of CVD by 2050, according to recent projections from the American Heart Association. That is why the Association launched a new, lifesaving public awareness campaign in Colorado to help residents reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke. Sponsored by Intermountain Health, the proud local Live Fierce. Reduce Your Risk. sponsor, Colorado’s “Cherish Your Heartbeat” campaign will encourage everyone to take control of their heart health by learning their key health numbers and working with a health care professional to create a treatment plan.

The Live Fierce. Reduce Your Risk. “Cherish Your Heartbeat” campaign will launch on Feb. 7, 2025, at Heart Health Fairs at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver and St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction on National Wear Red Day. These free community events will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the main lobby of each hospital. They will feature heart health education and hands-only CPR, cardiac rehabilitation information, and blood pressure checks. Saint Joseph Hospital is located at 1375 E. 19^th Ave., Denver. St. Mary’s is at 2635 N. Seventh St., Grand Junction.

As part of the Live Fierce. Reduce Your Risk sponsorship with Intermountain Health, the “Cherish Your Heartbeat” campaign will feature a year-round educational initiative focused on chronic disease prevention, a community conversation with Intermountain Health doctors, blood pressure awareness activities at Heart Walk, and a community CPR and AED readiness campaign.

“Knowledge is power, particularly when it comes to your health. If you know your risk for heart attack or stroke, you can take steps to reduce your risk,” said Ruchika Husa, MD, Intermountain Health cardiologist. “Start today by working with your health care team to understand your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and create a treatment plan that works for you.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease remains the leading cause of death among American adults, yet many risk factors can be prevented and treated. Health care professionals can test for risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, and help patients control or manage their risk for heart disease and stroke. Medication management and health screenings are effective tools in addressing cardiovascular disease risks, alongside establishing and maintaining healthy habits like a balanced diet, regular physical activity and reducing stress.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. During 2024 - our Centennial year - we celebrate our rich 100-year history and accomplishments. As we forge ahead into our second century of bold discovery and impact our vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. 

About Intermountain Health

Intermountain Health operates multiple clinics and hospitals in Colorado and in five other western states. Intermountain is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. 

For Media Inquiries:

American Heart Association, 303-801-4650, Lyndsey.albright@heart.org

Intermountain Health, 970-310-3749, sara.quale@imail.org

Fit and fabric can make or break a bra. Just ask anyone who wears one. But who would have thought that could influence the medical outcome of open-heart surgery?

Medical professionals have long known the weight of larger breasts can strain the surgical incisions after open heart surgery and sometimes cause it to open. That’s why hospitals give patients a post-surgical bra designed to give support and avoid complications. Common practice is to dress the patients in this bra right after surgery and instruct them to wear it 20 hours a day for six weeks.   

It is not uncommon for women after open heart surgery to be vulnerable to bra-related complications such as pressure injuries and wounds at the incision site if the fit and fabric is not right.   

Cardiac nurses at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital became curious when they cared for several women with larger breasts who were readmitted to the hospital after heart surgery. The women had wounds at their incisions or pressure injuries on their sides when the bras were too small.   

Ultimately, a patient mentioned the unmentionables, letting her caregivers know that the bra she was given was itchy and too small.    

This inspired Saint Joe’s cardiac nurses Lauren Zobec, RN, and Sarah Duart, RN, to learn more and look for a solution.   

“As long as I have been a cardiovascular nurse, we have used the same product. The fabric is scratchy and doesn’t breathe. There is a big elastic band that cut into people’s sides, and the biggest size we had just wasn’t big enough,” Zobec said. Patients get hot and sweaty thanks to hormone imbalances after surgery, and that post-operative bra just didn’t breathe.

“No wonder patients were not wearing them at home and came back in with wounds,” Zobec said. “We found lots of research about wound infections after open heart surgery.”   

That research showed patients indeed reported ill-fitting bras and ditching the bras once they got home because of the fabric.   

Zobec and Duart went bra shopping. They wanted a product that would reduce tension on the wound and have soft, stretchable material to manage swelling and moisture. The bra also needed to be available in larger sizes.   

They found that the right bra does exist. It was designed by a woman for patients after breast surgery.    

“It’s buttery soft, comfortable and supportive,” Zobec said. This new bra has openings on the sides, and it comes in sizes from small to 6XL.   

While no bras were burned, all the former “1970s-style” post-surgical bras were set aside in September 2023 in favor of the new, pink bra, Zobec said. The results: Saint Joe’s has had no post-operative wounds among the 71 female open heart surgery patients since then.    

Zobec said she’s been a cardiac nurse for 18 years and had always used the former product for patients after surgery. Duart, who has worked in other health systems agreed that that bra was the only one offered.    

When they began asking questions, the nurses had support from their leaders and the financial team that monitors supplies costs. The new bra does cost $5 more but will result in better outcomes and savings for the patient if it helps to prevent complications. By significantly reducing the chance for these complications, patients not only are more comfortable, but less prone to readmissions and complications.  

“We’re here to help patients, and I want to get this bra everywhere because it’s important and the right thing to do for these women,” Zobec said. Plus, it’s painful for the patient undergoing treatment to then have wounds and pressure injuries, she added.    

“Open heart surgery is a major thing to go through and to come back (to the hospital) because you didn’t have the right product. ... We just want to help,” Duart said.   

Zobec and Duart have submitted applications to speak at national nursing conferences to share what they have learned in hopes of bringing comfort to other heart patients throughout the country. Ingenuity, innovation, inspiration – two nurses who cared enough to search for solutions for improved patient care.  

Five Intermountain Health hospitals in Colorado received recognition in the latest US News & World Report rankings including Saint Joseph Hospital, which was named the No. 2 hospital in Colorado and the Denver Metro Area.  

In addition to the No. 2 ranking, Saint Joseph Hospital was listed as High Performing in pulmonology, lung surgery, and geriatrics, and High Performing in 13 procedures: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; colon cancer surgery; lung cancer surgery; abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart attack, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, TAVR, maternity care, hip replacement, knee replacement, and pneumonia. 

Other hospitals that were recognized were: 

• Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette. High Performing in five procedures and conditions: colon cancer surgery, prostate cancer surgery, heart attack, stroke, and maternity care 
• Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge. High Performing in three procedures and conditions: heart attack, stroke, maternity care 
• Platte Valley Hospital in Brighton. High Performing in maternity care 
• St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction. High Performing in five procedures and conditions: prostate cancer surgery, heart attack, stroke, maternity care, and hip replacement 

“We are proud of the excellent, high quality medical care our caregivers deliver every day.  While we don’t chase recognition, we appreciate it when national publications recognize the incredible care our professionals deliver on a daily basis,” said Intermountain Health Region President Jim Sheets.   

You can learn more about the rankings at US News & World Report.  

Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital celebrated Zafiro Portillo Primera, a high school intern who graduates from Arrupe Jesuit High School May 24 and has received the prestigious Daniels Scholarship. She has been accepted into the nursing program at Regis University.  

Portillo Primera 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. Saint Joseph’s Community Benefit team organizes five separate programs to provide job training and work experience in the emergency department, nursing, simulation education, the foundation and in physician clinics.  

In August, the hospital will add Project SEARCH which provides internships designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  

“These high school career education programs serve multiple purposes. They give students the chance to see options for careers that pay livable salaries, and they help grow the future healthcare workforce,” said Chuck Ault, Intermountain Health community benefit manager. 

The internship at Saint Joseph influenced Portillo Primera's decision to pursue nursing in college, she said. 

“I found it fascinating that medicine helps the human body heal itself,” she said. “Nurses play a huge role in interacting more with patients in an impactful way.”  

Portillo Primera spent this past school year working at Saint Joe’s Education and Simulation Lab to help create 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.  

Portillo Primera 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.  

Lisa Maskus, simulations lab educator, said she hosts several interns during the school year and in the summer teaching them about different healthcare careers and enjoying when they make connections and learn. 

Nine Intermountain Health hospitals have been named to Newsweek’s 2024 rankings of the World's Best Hospitals. 

The prestigious list aims to highlight the best facilities each year by using a mix of methodology that evaluates quality and safety measures meant to provide a guide for patients and families in choosing healthcare services in their communities. 

Newsweek looked at data from 2,400 hospitals across 30 countries to compile their list. The final scores were based on surveys from medical experts, patient/doctor ratios, and patient satisfaction surveys, among other metrics. 

“Intermountain is honored to be included among this premier list of hospitals,” said Rob Allen, president and CEO of Intermountain Health. “It represents the tireless work of our caregivers and their focus on exceptional and compassionate patient care.” 

Intermountain Health has put a major focus on providing affordable care while increasing access to services for patients. Thanks to the expansion of telehealth, patients can now get the specialized care they need closer to home, regardless of their location. 

The Intermountain hospitals ranked by Newsweek for the United States are: 

• Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Lafayette CO 
• Intermountain LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT 
• Intermountain Logan Regional Hospital, Logan, UT 
• Intermountain Lutheran Medical Center, Wheat Ridge, CO 
• Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, UT 
• Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver, CO 
• Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital, St. George, UT 
• Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital, Billings, MT 
• Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, Provo UT 

To see Newsweek’s full lists of World’s Best Hospitals, click here.

In a groundbreaking move, Intermountain Health has partnered with Elevation Community Land Trust to inject $2 million into the heart of Denver’s housing market, marking a significant stride towards fostering housing equity in Colorado. This collaboration signifies Intermountain Health’s inaugural Colorado Place-Based Investment, aiming not just to construct buildings, but to build healthier, more inclusive communities. 

 With a commitment to making homeownership attainable for more Colorado families, Elevation CLT uses the innovative community land trust model. This approach has already placed more than 250 families into homes across 14 cities in the state, cementing its position as a trailblazer in affordable housing solutions. This new infusion of funds is set to exponentially expand Elevation CLT’s reach, projecting to serve around 2,000 residents within five years and adding significantly to its portfolio of permanently affordable homes.  

The $2-million loan to Elevation CLT will be part of a fund used to buy new properties to be added to the land trust and preserved for affordable housing. The investment also will enable Elevation CLT to award bids to a more diverse group of project developers. 

Nicholas Fritz, Intermountain Impact Investing director, said these types of investments are an added resource to the communities served by the healthcare organization.  

“The investment from Intermountain Health allows us to better leverage the public and private capital needed to build this type of affordable infrastructure – accelerating our goals and resulting in more homes affordable to more Colorado families,” said Stefka Fanchi, president and CEO of Elevation CLT. “We are especially excited about this partnership because it makes very clear the alignment between affordable homeownership and health and wealth equity.” 

One project, The Burrell, is in the immediate service area of Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. 

The Burrell is a condominium project with 49 permanently affordable homes in Five Points, a historically Black neighborhood in the River North District. The project is named after renowned Denver jazz musician Charlie Burrell. Buyers of the 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units priced in the $200,000s will be asked to meet income qualifications. Historical and/or familial ties to the neighborhood will be considered.  

For more information about the Intermountain Place-Based Investing portfolio, visit https://intermountainhealthcare.org/about/who-we-are/community-health/impact-investing. Visit elevationclt.org to learn more about Elevation CLT. 

As part of our commitment to the communities we serve, Intermountain Health is addressing the most critical needs of our patients in the Peaks Region, with emphasis on those who are poor and vulnerable. When several of our care sites began noticing increased numbers of homeless patients coming to the Emergency Departments multiple times for care, the teams knew they had to do something to help.   

Historically, people experiencing homelessness have been harder to serve because it’s difficult to locate and communicate with them post-discharge to encourage their healthy recovery and connect them with the needed post-acute care and resources. These patients also have a higher likelihood of cycling through emergency services due to their resource challenges. 

To combat this, Saint Joseph, St. Mary’s and Lutheran hospitals partner with cross-functional, multi-agency groups that are skilled at working with the homeless population. Through this collaboration, they’re able to connect patients with temporary housing, which ultimately leads to better outcomes, reduced length of stay and reduced readmission rates. 

The teams work with Regional Accountable Entities (RAEs), which are care coordination agencies that work on behalf of Medicaid. They are responsible for coordinating members’ care and ensuring they are connected with primary and behavioral health care. 

“By collaborating with RAEs, our care sites can get a care plan set up for patients experiencing homelessness who often have high readmission rates,” said Alison Keesler, manager of Value-Based Programs. “Ultimately, we’re able to place patients in temporary housing and long-term care facilities. The RAEs we work with include community-based organizations that do navigation work and behavioral health work for hard-to-reach populations.” 

This work is part of Intermountain’s value-based care model and the Hospital Transformation Program (HTP). As part of the HTP, Colorado hospitals must select 10 cost and quality performance metrics based on their community health needs assessments. Readmission rates are one of the metrics the Peaks Region is focused on, so they looked at what populations are readmitting the most; people experiencing homelessness were at the top of the list. 

“We screen for social determinants of health and send positive screens to the RAEs,” Alison said. “We identify barriers that patients have to healthy recovery, whether it's transportation or people being too busy worrying about their housing to address their healthcare needs. We then help get them connected with housing.” 

Transitional care managers, also called navigators, work with patients post-discharge to ensure they have what they need, are in a safe place, keeping up with their medications, and more. 

At St. Mary's, doctors from the Family Residency Program provide free medical care to people experiencing homelessness through a partnership with Grand Valley Catholic Outreach Day Center. Each week they provide patients with basic medical care, preventative healthcare and counseling services at no cost. They also work with those experiencing addiction issues and help set them up with primary care physicians. This partnership with the Center provides the patients with a safe and comfortable place with a home-like feel where they’re much more likely to come in when issues first arise instead of waiting until they’re really sick and have to go to the Emergency Department. 

At Lutheran, they have a two-fold effort to help patients experiencing homelessness. They offer a collaborative working space to Jefferson County homeless navigators on the Lutheran campus that allows the navigators to come together and talk about what they're finding and what their needs are.  After discovering that transitional housing often entails an empty unit with no furniture, the Lutheran team also donated 20 rolling, foldable beds to the Jefferson County program to give to patients so they will have a bed to sleep in.  

They also purchased six medical respite beds through an organization called Recovery Works. When a person experiencing homelessness comes to Lutheran and is treated, oftentimes it requires care at home afterward. Historically, these patients would stay in the hospital for weeks or months, but now Lutheran can discharge them in a normal timeframe to go to Recovery Works. They stay there for 35 days and have their own room, meals, a nurse checking on them, counseling, substance use disorder treatment, and a navigator who connects them with housing. 

“These things probably wouldn't happen if they were to stay in the hospital because we don’t have the internal resources or ability to provide that type of much-needed care,” said Chuck Ault, Community Health program manager at Lutheran. “By discharging them to Recovery Works, they have people checking in on them constantly and there are substance use groups several times a day for them to go to. It gives them the chance to be part of a group experiencing the same issues. We’ve seen great success – patients have been discharged from there to sober living communities and temporary and permanent housing. This collaboration means we get to do the right thing for these vulnerable patients to help improve their lives.” 

These models exemplify our commitment to whole-person care, promoting improved health outcomes by ensuring patients’ social, emotional, psychological and environmental needs are met.  

To drive applicants to harder-to-fill positions, Saint Joseph Hospital used a creative and innovative idea through a partnership with the Colorado Health Careers Collaborative and Arapahoe Community College (ACC).

In June, 1,200 students enrolled at ACC participated in a seven-week program that gave them a firsthand look at what it’s like to work at Saint Joe’s by taking part in virtual job shadowing.

The Colorado Health Careers Collaborative partnered with various hospitals throughout the Denver metro area and each hospital selected different specialties based on their needs. Saint Joe’s chose Respiratory Therapy and Sterile Processing since those departments are the hardest to fill.

During the seven-week program, students had access to various job shadow modules that described every step of the process in Respiratory Therapy and Sterile Processing. The videos provided them with a firsthand look into what the jobs would entail and what it means to be an Intermountain Health employee by showcasing our mission, vision and values. It also featured caregivers talking about why they love working at Saint Joe’s.

The collaborative is open to high school and college students aged 16-24, and it was created to provide a career pathway for students to get jobs in healthcare without needing a two- or four-year degree.

“Another part of this initiative is that we help anyone in the program get entry-level jobs at Saint Joe’s, beyond those in Respiratory Therapy and Sterile Processing,” said Amanda Feild, director of Nursing Professional Practice and Magnet Program at Saint Joseph Hospital. “We interviewed students for transporters, food services and more. It's designed to get people interested in the healthcare field and in healthcare jobs.”

The idea is to let students know that they can start out in an entry-level position and work their way up to be a nurse, for example. By offering on the job training and the opportunity to enter the healthcare field straight out of high school, Saint Joe’s was able to create a quick pipeline to fill staffing needs at the hospital.

At the end of the program, a hiring event was held, and 80 students were interviewed for various jobs and several of our open positions were filled by these candidates.

HER-STORY was recently made at Saint Joseph Hospital when an all-female cardiac surgery team came together in the operating room to perform an open-heart procedure. Women are underrepresented in the cardiac surgery profession and we want to celebrate this unique milestone and this incredible team. We are proud of the expert care they provide for our patients and the inspiration they provide for the next generation of girls who want to break barriers.

Pictured L-R Back Row: Kim Caesar (Cardiovascular Operating Room Registered Nurse-CV ORN), Dr. Megan Loo (Cardiothoracic Surgeon), Jacque Barnes-Little (CVORN), Megan Kelso (CV ORN)

Pictured L-R Front Row: Dr. Prairie Robinson (Anesthesiologist), Abi Solis (CV ORN), Rachel Thompson-Griffin (CV Surgical Technician), Corinne Cass (CV ORN), Jenna Mahan (CV Surgical Technician), Amanda Lin (CV ORN)

January 18, 2023 – Both Saint Joseph Hospital and its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) have been named a 2022 Human Experience (HX) Guardian of Excellence Award^® winner by Press Ganey, the global leader in healthcare experience solutions and services. This award is part of Press Ganey’s annual ranking of the top hospitals and health systems in the country, according to performance in patient experience.

As winners of the Press Ganey HX Guardian of Excellence Award^®, both Saint Joseph and its NICU are in the top 5% of healthcare providers in delivering patient experience in the last year. Press Ganey works with more than 41,000 healthcare facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality and experience of care.

“By putting their patients and workforce first each and every day, Saint Joseph Hospital is demonstrating their unwavering commitment to their employees and to the communities they serve,” said Patrick T. Ryan, chairman and chief executive officer, Press Ganey. “The caregivers at Saint Joseph have inspired us with the compassion, empathy and human connection they bring to the clinical healthcare setting. We are honored to partner with them as we celebrate their achievement.”

“At Saint Joe's, we keep the patient at the center of everything we do. From the minute a patient comes to our campus, we strive to address their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We certainly want to provide the best technical care, but just as important is compassionate care,” said Jamie Smith, president, Intermountain Healthcare Saint Joseph Hospital. “I am extremely proud of all our caregivers for being honored with the 2022 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award. This is the fourth year in a row the hospital has received this honor, and the first year for our NICU. Consistently excellent performance depends on a high level of teamwork and commitment to excellence.”

DENVER, CO November 16, 2022 – Saint Joseph Hospital has received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group. This national distinction celebrates Saint Joseph Hospital’s achievements in protecting hospital patients from preventable harm and errors. “Saint Joseph Hospital is proud to be recognized by The Leapfrog Group with an "A" grade for patient safety for fall 2022.  This award is the result of our unwavering commitment to excellence and tremendous teamwork among our caregivers. As we say often at Saint Joe's, we keep the patient at the center of everything we do.  I'm thrilled to celebrate this with our caregivers and the patients whom we serve,” said Jamie Smith, President of Saint Joseph Hospital. 

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.   

“I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said Leah Binder, president, and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals continuously evaluate their performance to protect patients best. Your hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.” 

To see Saint Joseph Hospital’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.  

About Saint Joseph Hospital

Saint Joseph Hospital is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and the oldest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for nearly 150 years. Saint Joseph Hospital is part of the Intermountain Healthcare system. Based in Utah with locations in seven states (Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit healthcare system comprised of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 3,800 employed physicians and advanced practice providers.  

About The Leapfrog Group                                                                                    

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter. 

• Good Samaritan Medical Center, Lafayette, Colorado 
• Lutheran Medical Center, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
• Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver, Colorado
• Platte Valley Medical Center, Brighton, Colorado
• St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center, Grand Junction, Colorado
• St. Vincent Healthcare, Billings, Montana 

“This national distinction celebrates our caregivers and their achievements in ensuring our patients receive the best possible care,” said Mark Korth, president of Intermountain Healthcare, Peaks Region. “As we continue to enhance our safety mission, we are united in our commitment to healthcare safety as we advance our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible.” 

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring. 

“I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance so that they can best protect patients. Your hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.” 

To see Intermountain Healthcare’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in hospitals, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.  

# # # 

About Intermountain Healthcare 

SCL Health is now part of the Intermountain Healthcare system. Based in Utah with locations in seven states (Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) and additional operations across the western U.S. A nonprofit healthcare system, Intermountain Healthcare is comprised of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, and medical groups with some 3,800 employed physicians and advanced practice providers. To help people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by consistently using evidence-based best practices to deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. 

About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

Intermountain Healthcare (formerly SCL Health) has awarded a major $250,000 grant to support and celebrate Tepeyac Community Health Center’s project to build a new clinic and expand access to primary medical, dental, and behavioral health services for uninsured and underinsured individuals in Denver and surrounding areas.

With continued support and partnership from Intermountain Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Tepeyac has provided healthcare and key services to the Hispanic/Latinx community in the Denver metro area for the past 25 years.

The new Tepeyac Community Health Center clinic will triple the number of patients Tepeyac can serve each year—currently, these patients may not have a primary care provider or may be waiting for a long time for an appointment to see a doctor.

According to the 2021 census, 29% of Denver residents are Hispanic/Latinx – and are Denver’s largest minority population.

With held of this significant grant, Tepeyac’s new facility will be co-located with 150 units of affordable housing and include more than 5,000 square feet for fresh food providers. The expansion will quadruple the original facility’s size to 24,500 square feet and resulting in an increase to the annual patient visit capacity from 20,000 to 37,000.

On Tuesday, Tiffany Capeles, Intermountain Healthcare’s new chief equity officer, presented the grant to caregivers at leaders at Tepeyac Community Health Center.

“Intermountain has a reputable legacy of standing in the gap to serve our communities that are most in need. This is fulfilled through offering health care options that are both high quality and affordable,” said Capeles. “For the members of the East Denver community, we understand there are growing needs within our Hispanic/ Latin American population. This community has seen an 88% growth increase between 2000 and 2019 and now makes up about 29% of the total population in Denver.”

“Our Intermountain Saint Joseph’s Hospital views its community partners as an extension of its ongoing mission, to help people live the healthiest lives possible,” she added. “The Tepeyac Community Health Center is a valued partner who is tuned in to and understands the cultural dynamics and necessary services that directly touch the lives of the communities it serves.”

The $250,000 grant from Intermountain Saint Joseph’s Hospital will enable the building of a new medical pod with 10 patient visit rooms around the perimeter, or the “bull pen”, and offers an open working environment. This area is where the clinical staff will be able to collaborate, share, and provide a team base approach.

“For the past 28 years, Saint Joseph’s Hospital has been a steadfast partner of Tepeyac Community Health Center and has stood with Tepeyac at every stage of our growth. As we prepare to open our new clinical facility, Saint Joseph’s has once again demonstrated their unwavering support, as we continue our mission of serving (or “of providing high quality, affordable healthcare”) to the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Jim Garcia, founder, and chief executive officer for Tepeyac Community Health Center.

Tepeyac will continue to be the health home for the medically underserved providing full spectrum high-quality care for the whole patient and the entire family. 

The lives of patients, such as Lucinda Vidal, have been impacted for the thanks to Tepeyac’s hospitality and patient-focused care.

Vidal worked as a dentist while living in Mexico, her home country. Upon moving to the metro Denver area, she found Tepeyac Community Health Center where she became a patient. 

Vidal and her family migrated to the United States from Mexico to seek refuge as violence infiltrated her hometown.

Empty-handed, with three suitcases of belongings to share between her family of four, and unable to pay for private insurance, she was referred to Tepeyac by a local family member and she became a patient until she and her family were able to get on their feet.

Vidal became inspired and was moved by the way that Tepeyac provided care for those in her community. She now works for Tepeyac and is an expanded dental duties assistant (EDDA), where she helps provide dental care in one of the offered services.

“After I had the opportunity to be employed, I saw that Tepeyac was hiring an EDDA. I thought about returning a little of the love and service that I received at the clinic, and I am excited to see Tepeyac grow and help as much as possible so that the dental office has what it takes to help my community”, said Vidal.

Some of the new services included in the expansion of Tepeyac include comprehensive imaging and pharmacy services, dental and behavioral health care (including treatment for children), retail space offering groceries and fresh food, 150 units of affordable housing, and play areas in a neighborhood that lacks them.

“Imagine being someone who migrates from Central, Latin America or Mexico, who lives in a rural community that doesn’t even have a dentist nor any type of dental care education, let alone preventive dental services. Many of our patients arrive with generalized dental problems, such as periodontal diseases and all forms of infections,” explains Vidal.

“We are patients with chronic infections, who cannot afford or be treated in a general office and have to be referred to a specialist who can administer some type of sedation. We are those who have not been able to obtain dental care for different circumstances including fear and ignorance in our home countries. With Tepeyac’s expansion, we have the opportunity to make the difference in someone’s dental care and smiles,” she added.

Since 1995, Tepeyac has provided team-based, affordable, quality medical, behavioral health, and dental care. Most of the clinical staff are bicultural and bilingual, and all direct-service clinic providers are proficient or fluent in both Spanish and English.

According to their 2020 Annual Report, the age demographic of their patients primarily lies between 18-64 years old.

“Anytime I meet anyone in a situation similar to mine, my first thought is to refer them over to Tepeyac. I do it because I have the confidence that they will receive a comprehensive service. Not just medical, but mental, behavioral health, and Dental service too,” said Vidal. “Tepeyac has a great platform to obtain different resources, our patient navigators will help them connect with other resources they may need as they journey through a new country and culture.”

Tepeyac’s expanded facility is expected to open in early 2023 and will continue to provide resources to communities and remove barriers to healthcare.

“The expansion of their services will not only enable more individuals to be served by 2.5 times, but also does so in a way that brings greater access to services for a fraction of the cost. Typically, hospitals are the most expensive place to seek care,” said Capeles. “Increasing access to healthcare saves lives. It delivers on the economic prosperity of our residents, and we, at Intermountain Saint Joseph’s, are committed to seeing this often under-invested geographic area of our community, thrive.”

“Tepeyac took care of me, my spouse, and my children and I realized at a challenging time that I could afford to pay for the live-saving medication I needed and have a comprehensive service,” said Vidal. “It meant everything to me at the time and still does.”

B-roll of the event: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pwar2l5amlnzh43/AAAkYNGJ3uuSv6xbYxXNrivWa?dl=0

CBS4's coverage of the story: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/tepeyac-community-health-center-grant-triple-patients-served/

Beginning Nov. 1, Lutheran Hospice will team up with First Call to create a more streamlined and coordinated referral process for patients seeking hospice care.

This partnership gives patients access to an enhanced hospice onboarding process. The union builds a bridge between acute care, physician practices and our community to ensure effective care transitions for hospice patients electing service with Lutheran Hospice in the greater Denver area.

Care Management and providers ordering hospice services through Lutheran Hospice will begin with a phone call to First Call Transfer Center and they will coordinate with hospice. This will ensure the focus is getting the patient the right level of care as promptly as possible. The initial call will begin the referral process to hospice, whether the needs are for specialty inpatient care at the Collier Center or routine level of hospice care wherever the patient calls home.

First Call is an RN-staffed and clinically supported service designed to connect quickly to the physicians and staff of SCL Health, now Intermountain Healthcare, eliminating the need to keep track of multiple numbers or make multiple calls. It’s a fast, efficient, 24/7 transfer center to and from Intermountain Healthcare hospitals and facilities in the Denver area, including:

• Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette
• Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge
• Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton
• Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver
• Saint Joseph ER in Northglenn

First Call caregivers will:

• Coordinate with the hospice team and manage the logistics for a smooth patient experience

• Coordinate necessary physician to physician consultations to facilitate the prompt exchange of information

• Perform EMR registration, allowing expedited provider order entry for IPU admissions

• Arrange for the appropriate transportation to home or Collier Center, using the established transportation collaborative

• Admit or transfer a patient to an ER, inpatient setting and hospice inpatient at the Collier Center or wherever the patient calls home with Lutheran Hospice

To admit or transfer a Hospice patient in the greater Denver area, contact:

First Call

1-844-504-0004

sclhealth.org/first-call

Saint Joseph Hospital, now Intermountain Healthcare, understands living without a roof over one's head makes it challenging to live the healthiest life possible. And, our work to fulfill our mission to serve the most vulnerable in our community extends beyond the walls of our hospital.

That’s why Saint Joe’s continues to partner with the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) to support their shared effort to address the social determinants of health including housing instability. CHFA has convened a group of local government agencies and community organizations to form the Inclusive Housing Coalition in Denver. They work to address health equity and housing for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) who experience an extreme shortage of affordable, accessible housing and access to the supporting programs needed to thrive.

In a check presentation held recently, funds in the amount of $30,000 were given to support the implementation of the Inclusive Housing Coalition’s recommendations to prevent involuntary displacement and homelessness of adults with I/DD such the development of cognitively accessible, neuro-inclusive housing.

Saint Joseph Hospital was pleased to welcome representatives from CHFA, the Inclusive Housing Coalition, senior leaders from Intermountain Healthcare including Mikelle Moore, Senior VP & Chief Community Health Officer, and Mark Korth, Peaks Region Regional President along with many Saint Joseph caregivers.

In his remarks, Mark Korth talked about how Intermountain Healthcare is dedicated to addressing the priorities that are uncovered during the Community Health Needs Assessments process that is conducted every three years. Korth noted that Intermountain’s current priorities for its community contributions program are improving mental well-being, addressing the social determinants of health, and improving access.

Jamie Smith, Saint Joseph Hospital President, talked about how Saint Joseph’s commitment to finding affordable housing solutions and partnership with the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority has existed for many years. The collaboration began with a project to redevelop Tammen Hall. In 2017, the historic building located on the Saint Joe’s campus had been vacant and boarded up for more than 10 years and they were looking for a way to repurpose this significant historic landmark in the heart of Denver. Saint Joe’s worked with many partners including CHFA on the project that addressed the lack of affordable housing for one of the most vulnerable segments of Denver residents – seniors. Today, Tammen Hall has provided 49 rental apartments for income-qualified seniors 62 years of age and older. Smith expressed his gratitude for the ongoing partnership with CHFA and the Inclusive Housing Coalition to continue this important work.

The event concluded with Mary Ann Barwick, Treasurer of the Inclusive Housing Coalition, thanking Intermountain Healthcare and Saint Joseph Hospital for their support and describing how this funding is specifically intended to address a lack of appropriate and affordable housing for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, who with support can live independently. 

Saint Joseph Hospital and Intermountain Healthcare are proud of our ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of the people we serve through our community benefit programs.

Every weekend, around 7,000 families visit the Denver Zoo, and thanks to a generous donation from the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation, parents now have a quiet place to feed, nurse or pump for their little ones in the new family Mamava lactation privacy pod. Located in the Giraffe House, the pod is ADA accessible and large enough to accommodate a wheelchair or a double stroller, a changing table and plenty of space for moms and babies to sit. 

“We’re always looking for new, innovative ways to improve the Zoo experience for our guests and members and make our campus as accessible and comfortable as possible,” said Amber Christopher, Chief Operating Officer for Denver Zoo. “We’re grateful to Saint Joseph Hospital for their donation of the Mamava Lactation Pod in our Giraffe House, and to Intermountain Healthcare for their generous support of the Zoo.” 

The $35,000 lactation pod was funded through Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation’s NICU/Family Health fund and opened in July. It features photos of real moms who delivered their babies at Saint Joe’s and worked with the hospital’s lactation consultants, alongside stories of the Zoo’s baby giraffes and rhinos who have also been feeding.  

“For nearly 150 years, we've been a leader in the state in terms of the most babies born,” said Leslie McKay, Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation Executive Director. “We’re known for exceptional care for mothers and their children, and that care extends beyond the walls of the hospital. It’s about how we take care of families beyond birth. Saint Joe’s is one of the only hospitals that offers an outpatient lactation clinic, and we welcome families that had babies at other hospitals all over the area to take advantage of these services.” 

SCL Health, now Intermountain Healthcare, also has a three-year partnership with the Denver Zoo that includes hosting two educational events per year at the Zoo where the Saint Joe’s staff can meet with community members to inform them about the hospital’s parenting classes and labor and delivery services. The Zoo generously provides tickets to families who had their babies at Saint Joe’s and to moms who participate in its breastfeeding and toddler support groups. 

“Our goal is to be an active and integral part of what’s happening during the pregnancy and postpartum journey for families,” said Katie Halverstadt, RN, BSN, IBCLC, Saint Joseph Hospital Clinical Manager of Lactation and Family Education. “We want to be a staple in the community, supporting moms emotionally and educationally, and to have fun.”  

Saint Joe’s provides evidence-based, educational support for breastfeeding families and is Baby-Friendly designated, which means they offer superb lactation services, train staff and providers with lactation support, promote and protect breastfeeding and safe formula feeding and sell donor milk to the public. In addition to offering pregnancy and toddler support groups, the hospital holds dad support groups virtually and hosts baby hikes that are free and open to anyone in the community, even if they didn’t give birth at Saint Joe’s. 

“We’re trying to build community through collaboration with organizations like the Denver Zoo because we don’t want moms to feel alone. We are here to educate, support and connect because we know when moms and families gather together, it decreases postpartum depression and anxiety. Saint Joseph Hospital is not just a place to deliver your baby,” notes Halverstadt. 

A cystic fibrosis diagnosis used to be considered severe and life-threatening. It’s an inherited disease that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs, and until a few years ago, the life expectancy was only 10 years. 

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive disorder that requires daily care for those who have it, however, in the past five years, that has changed dramatically. Thanks to a drug called Trikafta, approved by the FDA in 2019, the prognosis for people living with the disease has drastically improved. 

“We’ve seen new medications coming out that have improved prognosis, life expectancy and in many cases fertility,” said Dr. Katie Rustici, an OBGYN at SCL Health Medical Group - Central Park OB-Gyn in Denver. 

Interestingly, improved fertility was not an intentional effect of the drug, but has been a game-changer for many people living with the disease who weren’t able to have children before. One of these people is Andrea Olsen, who had only one wish for her life. She wanted to be a mother. 

Andrea told Denver 7: “All I ever wanted was to be a stay-at-home mom, but when I was growing up, I never thought about my future because I never thought I would be here.” 

Andrea started taking Trikafta and to her surprise became pregnant almost two years ago. At first, she didn’t believe it, but after her 12th positive pregnancy test, she knew her dream was becoming reality. 

Five years ago, Dr. Rustici delivered Saint Joseph Hospital's first baby from a person with cystic fibrosis. Now, thanks to modern medicine, they’re delivering 10-20 babies a year at Saint Joe’s from moms with the disease. Dr. Rustici is also Andrea’s OBGYN. 

The birth of Willow 11 months ago, or Pillow, as Andrea calls her, changed her entire world for the better, as well as her outlook on life. Andrea admits she wasn’t taking her medication like she was supposed to until her baby girl was born. 

“Ever since I had her, all that’s changed because I have to be healthy for her,” Andrea said. “She’s my little miracle and I’m grateful for life. I just take it one day at a time.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital rating program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

“As our healthcare system continues to feel the strain of the pandemic, I thank the workforce and leadership of the legacy SCL Health System, now Intermountain Healthcare, for sustained commitment to patient safety, day in and day out,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is an outstanding achievement and one that is impossible without a 24/7 effort by the entire healthcare workforce to protect patients from harm. This community should be proud.” 

To see the top-grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. 

About The Leapfrog Group 

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward for patient safety. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. 

About Intermountain Healthcare 

Good Samaritan Medical Center, Lutheran Medical Center, Saint Joseph Hospital, Platte Valley Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, and St. Vincent Healthcare iis part of the Intermountain Healthcare system. Based in Utah with locations in seven states (Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit healthcare system comprised of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 3,800 employed physicians and advanced practice providers. To help people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs.

Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, Colo.,  Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colo., and St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings Mont. were named in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list of 2022. This distinction recognizes the hospitals’ continued ability to deliver the highest-quality and safest patient care while focusing on battling COVID-19.

The rankings recognized 2,200 hospitals across 27 countries and were based on three data sources: recommendations from over 80,000 medical experts, patient experience surveys, and key medical performance indicators (KPIs). The KPIs looked at data on the quality of treatment and hygiene measures. On the U.S. list, both Good Samaritan Medical Center and Saint Joseph Hospital are considered among the top 414 hospitals in this country – only 12 Colorado hospitals made the list.

This is the third year in a row Newsweek has released the World's Best Hospitals List in partnership with Statista, a leading data and business intelligence portal that publishes worldwide industry rankings and company listings with high-profile media partners. This study aims to provide the best data-based comparison of hospital reputation and performance across countries.

“As we enter a post-pandemic world, we are grateful that three of our hospitals and their caregivers are recognized as some of the world’s best,” said Mark Korth, Region President at Intermountain Healthcare. “Our strategy for everything we do starts with the patient, and it is the caring philosophy of our nurses, physicians, and caregivers at every level that makes this honor possible.”

To learn more about the  top-grade details, visit https://www.newsweek.com/worlds-best-hospitals-2022. 

Denver, Colo. – Saint Joseph Hospital has been named a 2021 Guardian of Excellence Award^® winner by Press Ganey, the national leader in healthcare consumer and workforce engagement. Press Ganey recognizes Saint Joseph Hospital as a top-performing healthcare organization achieving the 95^th percentile or above for performance in patient experience. This is the third year in a row Saint Joe’s has received this award. 

The Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award^® is a preeminent, competitive achievement for leading healthcare organizations. Presented annually, the award applauds hospitals and health systems that consistently sustained performance in the top 5% of all Press Ganey clients.

“Press Ganey is honored to recognize Saint Joseph Hospital as one of the nation’s leaders in patient experience,” said Patrick T. Ryan, chairman and chief executive officer, Press Ganey. “This award reflects an unwavering commitment to earn the trust and loyalty of patients throughout unimaginable challenges. We are humbled by Saint Joseph Hospital’s incredible efforts, and their ability to adapt to the imperatives of COVID-19 on top of the increasing demand for consumerism in healthcare.”

Investments and steps taken for continuous improvement at Saint Joseph Hospital in 2021 include:

• Participating in a formal goal-setting and results tracking program with every department in the hospital collaborating and focusing on improving patient experience together in measurable ways
• Offering training sessions called “Connect to Why” for all associates to help ensure that creating excellent patient experiences is embedded in the organization’s culture
• Promoting “Through Another's Eyes” behaviors that reinforce the use of empathy, understanding, active listening and other behaviors in all patient interactions
• Collecting and acting on patient and staff feedback that drives improvement

“It is so fulfilling to be able to display our mission every day to so many patients and their loved ones in the work that all our caregivers do every single day,” said Sarah Owen, CPXP, director, Service Excellence, Quality & Safety. “Healthcare can be a scary, vulnerable and unpleasant experience for those needing care, and all our staff are able to consistently shine some light into those dark times. Being a Guardian of Excellence means ensuring that everyone in this building, whether they work here, are receiving care here, or are visiting are having an excellent experience. We are honored to not only believe that, but be validated by our patients that they feel that same excellence!”

“In one of the most challenging times in healthcare, Saint Joseph continues to shine in its pursuit of excellence for our patients as evidenced by this prestigious award,” said Katie Boemecke, Service Excellence system director. “The collective dedication to excellence can be seen in the continued improvement in percentile rankings as well as through our patients' voices.”

To learn more about Saint Joseph Hospital, visit https://www.sclhealth.org/locations/saint-joseph-hospital/.

About Press Ganey

Press Ganey pioneered the health care performance improvement movement 35 years ago. Today Press Ganey offers an integrated suite of solutions that enable enterprise transformation across the patient journey. Delivered through a cutting-edge digital platform built on a foundation of data security, Press Ganey solutions address safety, clinical excellence, patient experience, and workforce engagement. The company works with more than 41,000 health care facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality, and experience of care.

About Saint Joseph Hospital

Founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth, Saint Joseph Hospital was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for nearly 140 years. By working closely with top physicians, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe’s is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado. 

Denver, Colo. – Saint Joseph Hospital attained Magnet recognition again in January 2022, a testament to its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.

Receiving Magnet recognition for the second time is a great achievement for Saint Joseph Hospital, as it continues to proudly belong to the global Magnet community – a small, select group of domestic health care organizations and hospitals in the U.S.

“Magnet recognition is a tremendous honor and reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to this community,” said Amanda Feild, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Director, Professional Practice and Magnet Program. “To earn Magnet recognition once was a great accomplishment and an incredible source of pride for our nurses. Our repeated achievement of this credential underscores the foundation of excellence and values that drive our entire staff to strive harder each day to meet the health care needs of the people we serve.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as:

·       Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information.

·       Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.

·       Higher job satisfaction among nurses.

·       Lower reports of intentions to leave their positions by nurses.. 

Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public judges health care organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care. 

The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence.

The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.

To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition.

Health care organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. An organization reapplying for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members sustained and improved Magnet concepts, performance and quality over the four-year period since the organization received its 2021 recognition.

“We’re a better organization today because of the Magnet recognition we first achieved five years ago,” said Dina Bush, BSN, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “Magnet recognition raised the bar for patient care and inspired every member of our team to achieve excellence every day. It is this commitment to providing our community with high-quality care that helped us become a Magnet-recognized organization, and it’s why we continue to pursue and maintain Magnet recognition.” 

About Saint Joseph Hospital 

Founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth, Saint Joseph Hospital was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for nearly 140 years. By working closely with top physicians, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe’s is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado. Saint Joseph Hospital’s parent organization, SCL Health, is a faith-based, non-profit healthcare system that operates 8 hospitals, more than 210 physician clinics, home health care, hospice, mental health care and safety-net services in three states – Colorado, Kansas and Montana. 

About ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program

The Magnet Recognition Program — administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world — identifies health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice.

The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit www.nursingworld.org/magnet. 

Carmen Hart went into labor and delivered her daughter when she was just 27 weeks pregnant in July 2016. Born three months early, Penelope, or Penny as her family calls her, spent the first 101 days of her life in the NICU at Saint Joseph Hospital. 

Carmen remembers the experience after Penny was born when Saint Joe’s literally became their home during that time. The cafeteria became her husband’s office and the Dazbog counter inside the hospital became their neighborhood coffee shop because they were there every single day. They ate almost all of their meals on the patio off the fourth floor near Penny’s room and they watched football games in the NICU parent lounge. 

“We weren’t planning on having her at Saint Joe’s, but we’re so glad we did,” said Carmen. “The doctors, nurses and therapists did so much for Penny and our family and we are so thankful.” After more than three months of expert and compassionate care from the Saint Joseph Hospital NICU team and non-stop support from her family, Penny Hart went home. 

“I’ll never forget the day we left the hospital because I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. The problem was that I didn’t know how to go around the NICU to say thank you for everything the staff did for us.”

So, Carmen took that immense gratitude, along with inspiration from her daughter, and wrote a children’s book called Penny and Her Butterfly that is dedicated to all the NICU staff who provide care to the tiniest and most fragile humans. 

“The book was a way for me to say thank you in the best way that I could,” Carmen said. “It’s a tribute to all of the staff that took care of Penny, but it’s done in a very light, playful and fun way.” 

The plot of the book is that when Penny's favorite butterfly picture goes missing, she heads out to search in the hospital and asks for help from the NICU team and her family. 

The book features Penny’s caregivers including Neonatologists Dr. Annie, Dr. John, Dr. Ellina and Dr. Mark, along with her primary day nurse Krista, primary night nurse Angie and occupational therapist Shannon. In total, there are 15 characters, including Penny, her parents and 12 other members of the Saint Joe’s NICU team. 

Carmen wrote the words and Mark Nino Balita, an illustrator from the Philippines, drew the pictures. The characters in the book are wonderfully illustrated as animals, and each page is a shout-out to the real-life team at Saint Joe’s. “We had a really tall nurse who is depicted as a giraffe. Another nurse had a long gray ponytail so she’s depicted as a gray horse.” Carmen credits Mark for really bringing the books to life.  

SPOILER ALERT: Penny eventually finds the picture and after 101 days, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, she is able to fly home. This beautiful tribute to prematurity is about a little girl's fierce determination and the power of love from those around her. 

Penny and Her Butterfly was five years in the making. Originally, Carmen set a goal of having it finished by Penny’s first birthday, but life got busy. The Hart family had another baby girl and Penny has grown into a healthy, happy and vibrant 5-year-old girl, who loves playing with her baby sister and is preparing to start kindergarten in the fall.

“This whole thing was a very unexpected situation, but looking back, it has turned into a very special time in our lives,” Carmen said. “Our family is forever grateful for the care we received at Saint Joe’s, and this book allowed us to capture that.”

Penny and Her Butterfly can be purchased on Amazon, and is also sold in the gift shop at Saint Joseph Hospital. Proceeds from the book will be donated to organizations that help NICU families. They include March of Dimes, which funds lifesaving research and programs to end premature birth, and the Saint Joseph Hospital Parent2Parent Support Group that helps families currently experiencing a NICU stay. Carmen is part of the Parent2Parent support group and remains friends with some of the staff who took care of her baby girl to this day. 

At SCL Health, now Intermountain Healthcare, we are dedicated to engaging with our communities to better understand how we can provide healthcare and services to meet local needs.

Please join us for an hour and a half virtual public meeting to learn more about our community impact on health and wellness from Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton, St. Mary's Medical Center in Grand Junction and Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette.

To register for Saint Joseph Hospital/Lutheran Medical Center:

Please join us for an hour and a half virtual public meeting on Monday, November 14, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. to learn more about our community impact on health and wellness from Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver.

Visit https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlde2upzssHNXc_B6Cp-z7swsmwYxfjNXe to register.

To register for Western Colorado:

Please join us for an hour and a half virtual  public meeting on Tuesday, November 15, from 5:00- 6:30 p.m. to learn more about our community impact on health and wellness from St. Mary’s Medical Center in Mesa County. 

Visit https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc--tpzMoGNHtNrnT3A2ULAGAfuQllqgS to register.

To register for Good Samaritan Medical Center/Platte Valley Medical Center:

Please join us for an hour and a half virtual public meeting on Thursday, November 17, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. to learn more about our community impact on health and wellness from Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette and Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton.

Visit https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEucuuuqjMoGNIfi40QSMd660OfCJExtARJ to register.

Olga Firstbrook, a 64-year-old nurse, has worked in all areas of healthcare, including pediatrics, cardiac care, ICU, oncology and various management positions. She’s spent decades taking care of patients, which came naturally to her. However, when she had to learn how to become a patient, that wasn’t as easy.

A few years ago, Olga began experiencing atrial fibrillation (AFib)-related issues that included a rapid heart rate. AFib is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia that happens when the heart beats too slowly, too fast or in an irregular way. It can lead to blood clots in the heart and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

Olga’s heart was beating at 120-140 beats per minute. For most healthy adult men and women, resting heart rates range from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Her doctor ran tests and she was prescribed a couple of medications. She continued to deal with her health in a proactive way, going back every 3-6 months to check on her heart. Her doctor conducted diagnostic testing, monitored her heart health with an echocardiogram, MRI, and EKG, and performed cardiac catheterization.

After moving to Colorado in September 2020, Olga began experiencing more frequent incidents of rapid heart rate, and overall was not feeling great. She went to a cardiologist in Boulder, who recommended she find a cardiothoracic surgeon. After doing extensive research online, she decided to seek care at Saint Joseph Hospital. 

In July 2021, Olga was told she needed to have a valve repaired. The surgery, which was actually three procedures in one, included a tricuspid valve repair, a right/left Cox-maze procedure to treat her AFib, and an AtriClip to block the left atrial appendage to help reduce the risk of blood clots. She was in the hospital for five days. 

“The doctors completely put my mind at ease,” said Olga. “They provided an in-depth explanation of my surgery and walked me through exactly what would happen from the moment I walked in the door to the day I was discharged. Being a nurse, I’m very particular and have extremely high expectations. I knew what to expect, but throughout the entire experience I had to learn how to act like a patient, and not like a nurse.”

Olga’s surgery at Saint Joseph was a success. For her cardiac rehab, she went to Lutheran Medical Center. Her daughter delivered her baby at Lutheran in 2020 and received excellent care, so Olga was already confident in the staff and the care.  

“It feels like a real family environment,” said Olga. “After receiving care at Saint Joe’s and Lutheran, you can tell they have a passion-driven mission. The staff truly cares and it’s a great place to be. The doctors, nurses, office staff, cleaning crews and food service workers were outstanding. They all showed such compassion to me – and to each other. Working in the healthcare field during COVID-19 and still experiencing that demeanor is incredible.” 

Olga was off work for three months in order to give her body time to heal. She began cardiac rehab about seven weeks after her surgery. Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program designed to improve your cardiovascular health for people who have experienced a heart attack, heart failure or heart surgery. It consists of exercise counseling and training, education for heart-healthy living and counseling to reduce stress.

The rehab sessions, held three times a week, included exercising, strength building, nutrition classes, endurance and tolerance training, breathing training and various educational pieces. While participating in cardiac exercises, the therapists would check her oxygen levels, blood pressure and heart rate. 

“The classes were designed to educate and then re-educate us,” Olga said. “There was a real comradery with the other patients. The rehab facility essentially became my gym and it was like a pep rally with everyone encouraging each other.”

The doctors told Olga it would take 6-12 months for her to completely feel like her old self again, but she is recovering nicely. She stressed the importance of listening to your body and not ignoring your symptoms.

“If something doesn’t feel right, go to your doctor,” said Olga. “You have to investigate and you also have to be a willing participant in your health. There are many lifestyle changes you can do to help keep your heart healthy, like good nutrition and exercise. You only get one time on Earth and you have to take advantage of it. If you don’t, the consequence could be you might not be here.”

Denver, CO - Saint Joseph Hospital, one of the premier heart programs in the Rocky Mountain region and one of the top cardiovascular hospitals in Denver, has been officially recognized by the American College of Cardiology for its demonstrated commitment to comprehensive, high-quality culture and cardiovascular care. Saint Joseph Hospital was awarded the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence in September based on meeting accreditation criteria and through its ongoing performance registry reporting.

National Distinction of Excellence HeartCARE SealHospitals and health systems that have earned an ACC HeartCARE Center designation have met a set of criteria, including participating in at least two ACC Accreditation Services programs, NCDR registries, and targeted quality improvement campaigns that are designed to help hospitals and institutions close gaps in guideline-based care. Saint Joseph Hospital was previously awarded Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI & Rescuitation and Transcatheter Valve Certification by ACC Accreditation Services and participates in several quality registries.

“Saint Joseph Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Denver area with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Saint Joseph Hospital with the HeartCARE Center designation.”

"The HeartCARE Center designation further validates our center of excellence status at Saint Joseph Hospital and recognizes the tremendous efforts of our physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing teams, and support services to ensure that our patients get the highest level of heart and vascular care in the Rocky Mountain region," said Glenn A. Hirsch, MD, MHS, FACC, Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services at National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital and hospital-based heart services for SCL Health in the Front Range.

Saint Joseph Hospital serves as the main heart and vascular treatment referral center for SCL Health in the Denver area. By investing in technologies, providers, and patient experience at this long-standing center of excellence, Saint Joseph Hospital provides some of the highest quality heart and vascular care in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Denver, CO - National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital are among the first hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region to have minimally invasive robotic technology that enables physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung where 70 percent of nodules reside.

”It’s exciting to be able to offer patients with lung nodules an alternative to surgical biopsy,” said Ellen Volker, MD, MSPH, Director of Interventional Pulmonology at National Jewish Health and interventional pulmonologist at Saint Joseph Hospital. “Robotic bronchoscopy allows us to reach more types of lung nodules throughout the entirety of the lung, in one minimally invasive outpatient procedure.”

Dr. Volker explained that National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital are among the first in the U.S. to combine cone-beam CT technology with robotic bronchoscopy technology. Cone-beam CT allows the doctor to be even more accurate and precise while performing the lung biopsy.

“Our success rate in reaching and successfully obtaining a tissue sample from difficult-to-reach areas of the lung with robotic bronchoscopy and cone-beam CT is greater than 90 percent. Older technologies like electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy had a success rate of only around 50 percent,” explained Dr. Volker. “This new technology is very good news for lung nodule patients, especially those who may have lung cancer.”

Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women. Early detection of lung cancer is one of the best ways to have a successful outcome, but early-stage lung cancers tend to be small and difficult to reach. Robotic bronchoscopy allows physicians to diagnose and stage lung cancer in one minimally invasive procedure, rather than multiple procedures.

“As with all cancers, the sooner we can diagnose and stage lung cancer, the better the outcomes for the patients,” said Dr. Volker.

About National Jewish Health
National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation. Founded 122 years ago as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health today is the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking medical research and treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Patients and families come to National Jewish Health from around the world to receive cutting-edge, comprehensive, coordinated care. To learn more, visit the media resources page.

About Saint Joseph Hospital
SCL Saint Joseph Hospital founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for more than 140 years. By working closely with top physicians, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe’s is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado. Saint Joseph Hospital is part of SCL Health.

Denver, CO - New in 2020, the SCL Health Heart & Vascular Institute has expanded its complex heart and vascular care service offering with the addition of a new Cardio-Oncology Program at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver.

As one of the few cardio-oncology programs in the Rocky Mountain region, patients now have better access to specialized care designed to prevent, treat and potentially reverse heart problems that can occur with traditional cancer treatment.

As described in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, cardio-oncology addresses the cardiac needs of patients throughout the entire cancer journey: before (risk assessment), during (detection of CV toxicity), and after (survivorship) cancer treatment. The guiding principle of the cardio-oncology approach is to enable patients to complete the best possible cancer therapy with the lowest possible cardiovascular impact.

One of the hallmarks of the new cardio-oncology program at Saint Joseph Hospital is its collaborative approach to patient care. Working closely with a patient’s existing care team, ranging from medical oncologists to surgeons, the program co-manages planning and treatment in a way that reduces lapse in case, expedites testing and treatment.

Our multidisciplinary approach to treatment allows us to provide quality, cost-effective, patient-centered care while ensuring that we have the best possible communication between our patients and the medical professionals involved with their care.

For more information about the Cardio-Oncology program or to make a referral, visit sclhealth.org/heart/advanced-cardiology/ or call 303-318-2435.

Denver, CO - Saint Joseph Hospital has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2020. Saint Joseph Hospital is one of only 140 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes Saint Joseph’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that Saint Joseph Hospital has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, Saint Joseph has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, Saint Joseph Hospital has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving quality of care in patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “By meeting the award requirements set forth in the registry, Saint Joseph has demonstrated a commitment to providing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations.”

The Center for Disease Control estimates that almost 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

“The NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award demonstrates Saint Joseph Hospital's continued hard work and dedication in providing the highest level of care for our heart attack patients,” said Jon Hoomes, Saint Joseph Hospital Director of Cardiovascular Services. “This is certainly a team award, signifying the excellent care provided to our patients from the time of their first medical contact, throughout their hospital stay and treatment, and continuing their recovery with cardiac rehabilitation. Saint Joseph Hospital continues to excel in cardiac care and awards such as this one reinforce our efforts.”

Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.

The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

Denver, CO - Congratulations to the 120 physicians on our medical staff who are listed among the metro-area’s Top Docs in this month’s issue of 5280 magazine! Each spring, 5280 magazine invites metro-area physicians to nominate a colleague they would turn to for their own care or the care of a loved one. The physicians with the most nominations in their specialty are included on the list.

Addiction Medicine
Alexis Carrington-Ford, MD

Addiction Psychiatry
Joseph Cannavo, MD

Allergy & Immunology
Jatinder Aulakh, MD | Mark Ebadi, MD | Suzanne Fishman, MD

Anesthesiology
Michael Burm, MD | Erich Marks, MD | Jessica Meyers Husum, MD | Keri Propst, MD | Michael Sawyer, MD

Cardiovascular Disease
William Baker, MD | David Zoloto, MD

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Deirdre Foster, MD

Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Laurent Lewkowiez, MD | Francis Ngo, MD

Clinical Genetics & Genomics
Austin Larson, MD

Colon & Rectal Surgery
Graham Sellers, MD

Complex General Surgical Oncology
Leonardo Alfaro, MD | Philip Neff, MD

Complex Pediatric Otolaryngology
Kenny Chan, MD| Jeremy Prager, MD

Congenital Cardiac Surgery
James Jaggers, MD | Max Mitchell, MD

Critical Care Medicine
Mana Amir, MD | Catherine Lazar, MD

Dermatology
Nicole Annest, MD | Elisa Kapler, MD | Brian Rothschild, MD

Diagnostic Radiology
Jennifer Kemp, MD | David Lynch, MD

Emergency Medicine
Alisha Garth, MD | Ari Melmed, MD | Jonyean Pei, DO

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
John Orrego, MD

Epilepsy
Richard Clemmons, MD

Family Medicine
Michele Salli, MD

Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery
Sybil Dessie, MD | Alexander Shapiro, MD

Gastroenterology
Barbara Piasecki, MD | Christopher Shepela, MD

Geriatric Psychiatry
Jessica Warner, MD

Gynecologic Oncology
Julia Embry-Schubert, MD | Sarah Whittier, MD

Hematology
Lala Cornelius, MD

Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Andrew Robinson, MD | Renee Rossi, MD

Infectious Disease
Raymond Blum, MD | Laura Caragol, MD

Interventional Cardiology
Albert Tseng, MD

Interventional Radiology
Peder Horner, MD | Sam McMurry, DO | Michael Podolak, MD

Maternal & Fetal Medicine
Amy Gagnon, MD | Joel Larma, MD | Julie Scott, MD | Morgan Swank, MD

Medical Oncology
Meghan Liel, MD

Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery
Nicole Annest, MD | Michelle Draznin, MD | Brian Petersen, MD

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Michelle Feinberg, MD | Ann Ryan, MD

Neurological Surgery
Kathryn Beauchamp, MD | Adam Hebb, MD | Erik Parker, MD

Neurology
Paul Foley, MD | Lynsee Hudson Lang, MD | Heidi Ray, MD

Neuromuscular Medicine
Heidi Ray, MD | Robert Schabbing, MD

Neurotology
David Nosan, MD

Obstetrics & Gynecology
Brittney Bastow, MD | Jennifer Seidel, MD | Diane Winters, MD

Ophthalmology
David Fintak, MD | Erik Letko, MD

Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Loukas Koyonos, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Boleslaw Czachor, MD | George Robinson, MD

Otolaryngology
Ryan Brown, MD | Todd Kingdom, MD

Pain Medicine
Jeromy Cole, MD | Michael McCeney, MD

Pediatric Anesthesiology
David Barclay, MD | Jessica Meyers Husum, MD | Ryan Wilson, MD

Pediatric Cardiology
D. Dunbar Ivy, MD | David Miller, MD

Pediatric Dermatology
Harvey Arbuckle, MD

Pediatric Endocrinology
Sunil Nayak, MD

Pediatric Gastroenterology
Jason Soden, MD

Pediatric Radiology
Lisa Niebergall, MD

Pediatric Surgery
Denis Bensard, MD | Jennifer Bruny, MD | David Partrick, MD

Pediatric Urology
Job Chacko, MD | Nicholas Cost, MD | Duncan Wilcox, MD

Pediatrics
Jay Markson, MD

Plastic Surgery
Joyce Aycock, MD | Mark Kiehn, MD

Plastic Surgery within the Head & Neck
Kevin Motamedi, MD

Psychiatry
Samuel Clinch, MD

Pulmonary Disease
Samay Dalal, MD | William Kinnard, MD

Radiation Oncology
Ari Ballonoff, MD | Brandon Patton, MD | Matthew Stenmark, MD

Rheumatology
David Silverman, MD

Sleep Medicine
Esther Lum, MD | Sheila Tsai, MD | John Wilkins, MD

Surgery
Stefanie Kolpak, MD | Charles Pratt, MD

Surgery of the Hand
Jue Cao, MD

Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery
Lanny Dunham, MD | John Mitchell, MD | Steve Panian, MD

Transplant Hepatology
Heather Laskey, MD

Urology
Joseph Dall'Era, MD | Benjamin Sherer, MD

Vascular Surgery
Travis Engelbert, MD | Timothy Liao, MD | Thomas Rehring, MD

Denver, CO - The Stroke Program at Saint Joseph Hospital has received the 2020 Stroke Gold Plus along with Honor Roll Elite and Honor Roll Type 2 Diabetes designations from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. This achievement acknowledges the quality measures utilized by the Saint Joe’s Stroke team in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. These practices include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most advanced, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of helping patients live longer and healthier lives. “Gold Plus” is the highest designation and makes Saint Joseph part of an elite group of hospitals.

“Gold Plus” is the highest designation and makes Saint Joseph part of an elite group of hospitals including our colleagues at Good Samaritan, Lutheran and Platte Valley Medical Centers.

Denver, CO - U.S. News and World Report has ranked Saint Joseph Hospital as #3 in Colorado and #3 in Denver, up from last year when we were named #5 in the state and #4 in Denver. Additionally, we were recognized as High Performing in the adult specialty of Pulmonology and Lung Surgery and for the following five procedures and conditions:

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
• Aortic Valve Surgery
• Heart Bypass Surgery
• Hip Replacement
• Knee Replacement

The report also surveys patients after discharge to ask about different aspects of their hospital stay. Patients are asked about things like overall satisfaction, satisfaction with doctors’ communications and their willingness to recommend the hospital to others. Saint Joe’s received an overall patient experience rating of four out of five stars.

Denver, CO - Saint Joseph Hospital's maternity care program has been ranked among the best in the U.S. by Newsweek magazine. The ranking is based on the 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Survey and recognizes Saint Joseph Hospital for extraordinary service to mothers, newborns and all families in our community.

The list will be published in the July 24 issue of Newsweek. Among SCL Health hospitals, Lutheran Medical Center and St. Mary’s Medical Center also are included on the list.

Link to story: https://www.newsweek.com/best-maternity-care-hospitals-2020

Denver, CO - The Leapfrog Group, a Washington D.C-based organization aiming to improve health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers, today released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. Saint Joseph Hospital received an ‘A’.

“Saint Joseph Hospital’s top priority is to provide safe, compassionate and outstanding care for our patients. Our community can trust that we continue to be committed to ensuring the safest environment of care especially during this public health crisis,” said Jamie Smith, president of Saint Joseph Hospital. “We are proud to be recognized by The Leapfrog Group for this important work.”

“Our goal is to inform patients about local hospitals with the best safety measures in place and the strongest records,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Every hospital can earn an ‘A’ grade, and we’re proud of the hospitals that are committed to making an effort to protect patients from harm.”

Developed under the guidance of an Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to approximately 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

To see Saint Joseph Hospital’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter and Facebook.

About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

About Saint Joseph Hospital
Founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth, Saint Joseph Hospital was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for more than 140 years. By working closely with top physicians, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe’s is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado. Saint Joseph Hospital’s parent organization, SCL Health, is a faith-based, non-profit healthcare system that operates 8 hospitals, more than 210 physician clinics, home health care, hospice, mental health care and safety-net services in three states – Colorado, Kansas and Montana.

Denver, CO - We asked SCL Health caregivers on the front lines to share their brave experiences during the battle against this unprecedented pandemic. Here are their Voices From The Front Line:

Mary Kaleli
Registered Nurse
Saint Joseph Hospital

I came to work on April the 1st on the night shift. I was assigned as the resource Registered Nurse for COVID-19 patients. This means helping the primary RNs with the patients' needs like answering call lights, checking blood sugars, placing IVs if needed and also assisting with admissions. It was obvious to me as I entered into the patients' rooms, there was a high level of anxiety and being able to address the patients in a calming manner was just as important as following my doctor's orders.

There was a patient who was a borderline Intensive Care Unit and Intermediate Care Unit admission coming in to rule out COVID-19. The Charge RN asked me to admit the patient, which I gladly did. Upon admission, I oriented the patient to the floor routine and informed her that we work as a team and our goal is to make her feel better. I reassured her that though it may take some time to get into the room because of donning the Personal Protective Equipment, we shall do our best to be proactive in meeting her needs. We talked of the plan of care and worked through what she could expect for her care, and from us as her care providers. As I left the room, she said: "Thank you for risking your life to help me."

I suppose I was getting caught up in the day-to-day, managing to try and make every moment better for both my colleagues and my patients as well. It made me truly stop and think. I felt so reassured to hear those words from her, that our patients appreciate what we are doing every day to care for them.

Denver, CO - At Saint Joseph Hospital, our mission guides us to address the health needs of our community especially for those who are poor and vulnerable. We do this not only within the walls of our hospital and clinics, but also through community benefit projects. Saint Joseph Hospital recently partnered with Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD), the Center for African American Health and Clinica Tepeyac to improve access to health services for underserved communities in Denver by granting these organizations $300,000.

The Wellbeing Wagon is MHCD’s mobile mental health program that travels to communities without access to these services to provide behavioral health screening and treatment. Saint Joe’s contributed $150,000 in support of this innovative program with the goal of increasing access to these services and to help us better understand the mental health needs of our patients.

Saint Joe’s also granted $100,000 to the Center for African American Health to help build a new community health center in the Holly Square redevelopment area. The new center is located in North Park Hill which is one of Saint Joseph Hospital’s priority health promotion zip codes based on our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment. The center will provide screening, health navigation and healthcare workforce training for this medically underserved population.

Additionally, Saint Joseph made a $50,000 community benefit contribution to Clinica Tepeyac to support its behavioral health program including substance use disorder and mental health screening and treatment services. The program expands access to behavioral health care for low income patients who have limited treatment options. Clinica Tepeyac helps address a critical need in Denver by eliminating barriers to accessing mental health care services.

Investing our resources into these innovative and impactful programs that truly help our neighbors experiencing challenges in accessing mental health and preventive care services is something we all can be proud of and demonstrates how we put our mission into action.

Denver, CO - National Jewish Health, the nation’s leading respiratory hospital, and its clinical partner Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver’s largest private teaching hospital and a part of the SCL Health system, have been named an accredited Center of Comprehensive Care by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA).

“This is years in the making and a true testament to the teamwork at National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital,” said Marjorie Patricia George, MD, Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital. “It’s an honor to be named a PHA-accredited comprehensive care center in Colorado.”

To be designated as a Comprehensive Care Center (CCC), an organization must demonstrate that it is a highly organized, full-time pulmonary hypertension center that proficiently evaluates PH patients based on evidence-based guidelines and also provides expert treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with all of the FDA-approved therapies. CCCs also make important contributions to PH research and education.

National Jewish Health opened its outpatient pulmonary hypertension clinic in 2012. When the hospital formed its clinical partnership with Saint Joseph Hospital in 2014, the two organizations began building the comprehensive, coordinated program that is now receiving this prestigious accreditation.

“Pulmonary hypertension patients are very complex, and it’s important to have a program that can help them manage their disease from both an outpatient perspective and during hospital stays,” explained Dr. George. “From day one, there has been a commitment from both National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital to have the best pulmonary hypertension program in the region. Receiving this accreditation from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association is important to not only our goal, but also our patients’ well-being.”

About National Jewish Health
National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation. Founded 121 years ago as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health today is the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking medical research and treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Patients and families come to National Jewish Health from around the world to receive cutting-edge, comprehensive, coordinated care. To learn more, visit the media resources page.

About Saint Joseph Hospital
Founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth, Saint Joseph Hospital was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and the largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for more than 140 years. By working closely with top clinical partners, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe’s is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado.

Denver, CO - Saint Joseph Hospital is pleased to announce it has been named a 2019 Guardian of Excellence Award® winner by Press Ganey. The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing health care organizations that have achieved the 95th percentile or above of performance in Patient Experience.

The Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award is a nationally-recognized symbol of achievement in health care. Presented annually, the award honors clients who consistently sustained performance in the top 5% of all Press Ganey clients for each reporting period during the course of one year.

Saint Joseph Hospital attributes earning this award to the people and culture of the hospital. The leadership provided by the Executive Team sets a standard among associates that teamwork and overall excellence are highly valued within the organization. The expertise and compassion demonstrated by the clinical staff is key to creating a great experience for a patient. Additionally, support departments such as the Volunteers, Transportation, Environmental Services, Laboratory, Radiology and Pharmacy are equally as important in obtaining this honor.

"Congratulations to Saint Joseph Hospital for receiving the Guardian of Excellence Award,” said Patrick T. Ryan, Executive Chairman of Press Ganey. “This honor reflects their unwavering commitment to improving the safety, quality, and experience of care. Their hard work and dedication are inspiring, and we are proud to partner with them on our shared mission to reduce patient suffering.”

According to Saint Joseph Hospital President Jamie Smith, the award represents an important recognition from the industry’s leader in measuring, understanding and improving the delivery of care. “We are pleased to receive the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award. I am proud of our dedicated providers and associates for their continued unwavering commitment to ensuring outstanding experiences for our patients.”

About Saint Joseph Hospital
Founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth, Saint Joseph Hospital was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for more than 140 years. By working closely with top physicians, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe’s is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado. Saint Joseph Hospital’s parent organization, SCL Health, is a faith-based, non-profit healthcare system that operates 8 hospitals, more than 210 physician clinics, home health care, hospice, mental health care and safety-net services in three states – Colorado, Kansas and Montana.

About Press Ganey
Press Ganey pioneered the health care performance improvement movement more than 30 years ago. Today, Press Ganey offers an integrated suite of solutions that enables enterprise transformation across the patient journey. Delivered through a cutting-edge digital platform built on a foundation of data security, Press Ganey solutions address safety, clinical excellence, patient experience, and workforce engagement. The company works with more than 41,000 health care facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality, and experience of care.

Denver, CO - On Saturday, November 2 a little after 8:00 o’clock in the morning, Kristi Legaarden, Saint Joe’s Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Educator, was taking her dogs for a walk near her home around Curtis Park. She saw a parked car with a woman in the driver seat and a man in the passenger seat who had no color in his face and appeared lifeless. When Kristi approached the car, she learned from the woman that the couple was on their way to Saint Joseph Hospital because the gentleman had pain in his shoulder and just wasn’t feeling well. During their ride to the hospital, he became unresponsive. The wife pulled the car over and flagged down a man who was walking around the park and asked him to call 911.

When Kristi came on the scene, she opened the car door, assessed the patient and was unable to find a pulse so she started chest compressions. The patient was breathing off and on during the four to five minutes that Kristi performed CPR until the Denver Fire Department arrived, took over CPR and used a defibrillator to bring the patient back. Denver Health EMS team arrived while the defibrillator was being used and when the patient was revived, they took him to Saint Joe’s Emergency Department. When the patient got to hospital, the Saint Joe’s ED team determined that he had had a heart attack caused by a blocked left anterior descending coronary (LAD) artery. This type of heart attack is also known as the widowmaker.

At 8:37 a.m., Kristi was on the way home when she got a Cath Lab activation page on her phone and she knew it was for the patient that had just left by ambulance. The Cath Lab team put in a stent to open the LAD blockage and performed a cooling treatment for 24 hours.

Thanks to Kristi’s lifesaving heroics, along with the amazing coordination by Denver Fire, EMS first responders and the providers at Saint Joseph Hospital, the patient, Louis Perez (who goes by Sam), went home on Wednesday, November 6, just in time to celebrate 56 years of marriage with his bride Dolores! According to Dolores, Sam is doing great, walking around the block with his home health nurse and starting cardiac rehabilitation.

During his stay at Saint Joe’s, Kristi visited Mr. and Mrs. Perez every day. Dolores and Sam showed their gratitude by buying her flowers and even inviting her to their home for Thanksgiving. The couple recently came to Saint Joe’s and was reunited with Kristi, Brian Lee, a paramedic from Denver Health EMS, and others at Saint Joe’s who saved his life and allowed the Perez family to enjoy this holiday season together.

Although this story is extraordinary in that one of Saint Joe’s amazing nurses just happened to be walking by when Mr. Perez needed help, it is not at all out of the ordinary that the Denver Fire Department, EMS agencies and the doctors and caregivers at Saint Joseph Hospital work together to provide excellent care for our patients. Thanks to all of our physicians, associates and community partners for your everyday heroics!