When Dr. Sonya Norman, MD, and Dr. Blanca Richmond-Coca, MD, first started practicing family medicine together, Intermountain Health’s Brighton Medical Clinic in Brighton, Colorado was just a small private practice. Computers were barely used, and patient records were kept on paper-based spreadsheets. This was back in the early 2000s, shortly after the two physicians completed their residencies together at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. A lot has changed since then. But what hasn’t changed is the close bond they share, something worth its weight in gold while treating family medicine patients with a vast range of medical conditions.
Cassia County, ID is more than twice the size of Rhode Island but has a population —25,696 — similar to Farmington, UT. In this sparsely populated corner of Idaho, many Intermountain Health caregivers fill dual roles as volunteers. For those with medical backgrounds, this often means serving as a first responder. The work can be personal. Jeff Rasmussen, Cassia Regional’s pharmacy director, volunteers for the Declo Quick Response Unit. A few years ago, his son was involved in an accident in which the car rolled some 15 times, struck two power poles, and ejected all three passengers, including one who was thrown onto a power line 35 feet in the air. Someone on the scene called Jeff on his son’s phone, and he responded immediately. “With my background, I was able to help my son, but once he was stable, I wanted to help the other kids,” he said. “It was our community that was out there helping these kids, and it’s a miracle that they all survived, given the acuity of the situation.” As Jeff tells this story on a Teams call that includes Bowen, Cassia facility manager Winn Osterhout, and Cassia communications manager Stephanie Curtis, the others are in tears. This is what it means to respond to an incident when you know the teenagers involved. “If I get in an accident here, I want one of these guys to respond,” Stephanie says. Bowen, Winn, and Jeff discuss why they are so involved in their communities below.
Congratulations to the following Intermountain Health hospitals for being recognized on Premier's 100 Top Hospitals for 2025! Intermountain Medical Center - Murray, Utah - #1 major teaching hospital, 6 years on the 100 Top list St. George Regional Hospital - St. George, Utah - #1 large community hospital, 3 years on the 100 Top list McKay-Dee Hospital - Ogden, Utah - #3 large community hospital, 11 years on the 100 Top list Utah Valley Hospital - Provo, Utah - #16 large community hospital, 3 years on the 100 Top list Layton Hospital - Layton, Utah - #1 small community hospital, 3 years on the 100 Top list Riverton Hospital - Riverton, Utah - #3 small community hospital, 6 years on the 100 Top list American Fork Hospital - American Fork, Utah - #5 small community hospital, 12 years on the 100 Top list Alta View Hospital - Sandy, Utah - #8 small community hospital, 11 years on the 100 Top list Cedar City Hospital - Cedar City, Utah - #17 small community hospital, 14 years on the 100 Top list Premier researchers analyzed nearly 2,600 U.S. hospitals, using public Medicare data, evaluating metrics such as inpatient mortality, length of stay, operating profit margin and healthcare-associated infections. If the 100 recognized hospitals served all Medicare patients, more than 331,000 additional lives could be saved in a hospital setting, according to Premier’s analysis.
The Pahrump medical office building is a very large multi-disciplinary care setting with six pods. Combined, they offer many resources to a community of 45,000, including primary care, senior care, specialty care, and InstaCare (one of only two in the area), as well as radiology, pharmacy, and laboratory services. Hear first-hand from Mitch Cloward, our Southern Utah & Nevada Region President, as he shares what made his recent trip to the Pahrump medical office building in Nevada so insightful when it comes to patient care and caregiver engagement.
The path into medicine for Dr. Elizabeth Withers, MD, MBA, chief medical officer at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette, Colorado, is a testament to passion, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence in both medicine and leadership. Her journey inspires others to follow their dreams and make a positive contribution in their community.
Every caregiver at Intermountain Health plays an important role. But with 68,000 people working here, there are probably departments even our caregivers don't know about. When we think about our work, we might not immediately think about the teams that maintain our helicopters, test our toilet paper, or help caregivers plan for retirement. Each team adds something important to our mission. Their stories highlight the diverse and inspiring work happening every day to collectively deliver the best care possible.
Dr. Beata Wyatt, MD, is a clinical physician at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Colorado as part of Intermountain Health’s partnership with the Midtown InPatient Medicine (MIM) hospitalist group. Dr. Wyatt has practiced at Lutheran for more than 15 years, treating acute patients with diverse range of medical needs. Being a hospitalist has always been her passion. However, in February she became the new MIM Hospitalist site lead at Lutheran, expanding beyond clinical work to also oversee quality, safety metrics, and other high-level outcomes. Dr. Wyatt’s steadfast dedication for helping others extends beyond hospital walls. Over the course of her tenure at Lutheran, she has also managed another full-time job: mom. Dr. Wyatt’s main piece of advice for young mothers who are juggling the challenges of life as a doctor and a parent is simple: know your limits. “If you love your work, it’s important to do what you love and what makes you happy,” she said. “But it’s also important to prioritize your well-being. It’s okay to say ‘no’ to certain things. As a mom, you can’t do it all. Lean on others as best you can so that it’s manageable.”
Sports medicine has been around for centuries, but in modern times, it has become increasingly more prevalent. Despite overlaps in skillsets, sports medicine physicians are not physical therapists or solely work with athletes. Sports medicine physicians work with all physically active people, diagnosing and treating different injuries and pathology in primary care and subspecialty settings. Oftentimes, sports medicine physicians can solve for answers to ailments that previously seemed out of reach. Whitney Nielsen is a licensed clinical social worker in Cedar City. In 2007, she broke her right leg, a compound fracture that led to multiple surgeries. Following treatments and physical therapy, she could walk but felt constant knee pain and couldn’t walk long distances or run. For years, she felt limited in the activities she enjoyed. Whitney was almost resigned to the idea she had to live with this discomfort for her life but sought professional help anyways, especially after becoming a mother and wanting to be more active. During a Cedar City health fair in 2024, she found a flyer promoting sports medicine, specifically primary care sports physician Dr. Nathaniel Nye, and she booked an appointment with him. Now, thanks to Dr. Nye, Whitney is more physically capable than she ever thought.
We are proud to announce that Lawrence Barnard (Larry) has been named the first president of the upcoming Intermountain Health Nevada Children’s Hospital—the state’s first stand-alone children's hospital, set to open in 2030. Larry, a longtime healthcare leader with deep roots in Nevada, was selected after an extensive national search. With a career dedicated to advancing healthcare in Nevada, Larry has made it his mission to ensure children and families receive world-class care close to home. "For too long, families have had to leave the state to seek specialized pediatric care. That changes now. We are building a children’s hospital that will serve Nevada’s families with the highest quality care—right here in our own community," says Barnard. As president, Larry will: ✅ Oversee hospital construction and opening ✅ Develop long-term strategies for pediatric care ✅ Lead hiring, staffing, and training efforts ✅ Drive community engagement and partnerships We announced plans for the children’s hospital in October 2023, with groundbreaking scheduled for later this year. This milestone will mark a new era of pediatric care in Nevada.
We are thrilled to be recognized on Fortune's 2025 of America’s Most Innovative Companies! The list was developed in partnership with Statista and ranks 300 U.S. companies based on product innovation, process innovation and innovation culture. More than 40,000 employees were surveyed between Sept. 11 and Oct. 19 and a panel of 2,500 external experts also evaluated organizations. Combined, the companies featured on the list generated more than $12.6 billion in revenue over the last 12 months. A total of 63 healthcare companies are recognized on this list — including 36 hospitals and health systems.
