From Plevna to Red Lodge, Montana, Dr. Jalyn Walker has always known the challenges of rural healthcare. Growing up where the nearest hospital was an hour away, she saw neighbors delay care until it was too late. Today, as a family medicine physician at Intermountain Health’s Red Lodge Clinic, Dr. Walker provides care across every stage of life, from pediatrics to geriatrics. She is particularly passionate about women’s health, especially when it comes to supporting women through menopause. Her message is clear: women don’t have to “just live with” menopause symptoms. There are options, and she’s making sure rural communities know them.
The New Year began with joy and celebration at Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital, where Utah’s first baby of 2026 was born. At 12:09 am on January 1st, Valley Zohner made her grand entrance into the world. Her delighted parents, Kenedi and Zach, are thrilled to welcome their precious daughter to their family. The Zohners live in Cedar City but chose to deliver at St. George Regional Hospital because their OBGYN works there.They had been anticipating the baby's arrival, and wanted to be prepared, so they had been staying Christmas week with family in St. George. The plan was to arrive on New Year’s Eve to start her inducement, only to be surprised to find that she was already mid-labor when she arrived for her appointment. Kenedi said she just was not feeling the contractions. With no inducement needed, the baby was near her arrival. "This delivery was very easy and went very well. Baby came very fast and easy compared to my last baby,” said Kenedi Zohner. “All of the nurses have been nice, and lovely. They are great at their jobs.” The new parents received a prize basket from Intermountain Health to celebrate the New Year's birth which included generous donations from Utah-based baby product vendors: Minky Couture; Loulou and Company; and Over the Moon.
At Intermountain Health, we believe education is one of the most powerful tools we can offer our patients, and in Nevada, it’s transforming lives. Our Community Health Education program currently offers 44 free synchronous classes for Nevada patients, including congestive heart failure (CHF), COPD, smoking cessation, and lifestyle and weight management, that are helping patients build healthier habits and dramatically reduce hospital readmissions. This is what it looks like when compassionate care, accessible education, and community partnership come together to create healthier patients, stronger relationships, and a future where more people can live their healthiest lives possible. Community Health Education classes range from single day courses to 4–6-week programs. To learn more about the class catalog and schedule, email MyHealthEd@imail.org or call 702-479-2270.
Imagine having kidney disease and not knowing it. You wouldn’t be alone. More than 80,000 Intermountain Health patients with diabetes need annual kidney screenings, and many aren’t getting them. That's why the Primary and Preventive Care Clinical Program created a clinical initiative to improve early screenings and coordinated care to address diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in clinical settings. If left untreated, kidney disease can result in life-altering conditions, such as renal failure, dialysis, cardiovascular disease, and heart failure. The DKD initiative arms primary care teams with tools to coordinate care more proactively for patients with kidney disease. And it starts with screening.
You can't choose who they'll be in the world, but you can choose how you bring them into it. At Intermountain Health, parents share their birth stories - filled with care, compassion, and confidence. From our tiniest Intermountain babies to our proud Intermountain parents, these beginnings are ones they'll cherish forever.
Carrie Dunford may be our chief pharmacy officer at Intermountain Health, but when her thyroid medication runs out, she faces the same frustrating hurdles as millions of patients: expired refills, short supplies, and costly copays. Her experience is exactly why the Enterprise Medication Resource Center (EMRC) was created—to streamline refill authorizations, reduce provider workload, and help patients stay on track with their medications. Curious how this behind-the-scenes innovation is reshaping care across multiple states and what’s coming next? Read the full story below.
Substance use during pregnancy is a rising public health challenge, but at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, caregivers are transforming fear and stigma into connection, trust, and hope. Lutheran was just recognized by the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative as the only hospital in the state to achieve 100% success in providing social work consultations for mothers with substance use disorder. This milestone is part of the Turning the Tide initiative, a statewide effort to improve care for pregnant and postpartum women impacted by substance use. For many patients, labor and delivery is one of the few moments they feel safe, supported, and ready to seek help. Lutheran’s Care Management team is using that window to build relationships, start treatment, and connect families to long‑term support — work that can change the trajectory of two lives at once. And they’re not doing it alone. Platte Valley Hospital in Brighton is also leading the way, earning the initiative’s Quality Improvement Award earlier this year. Read the full story to see how these teams are making a lasting impact.
SafeNest, Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence, this week held a housewarming media event in Las Vegas for its new trauma triage center. SafeNest purchased the two-story building two years ago with funding from Intermountain Health’s Place-Based Investment portfolio. Intermountain secured for SafeNest a loan of nearly $1 million to allow them to purchase the center with very low interest rates and non-profit center tax credits. Intermountain Health Region president and community health lead, Mitch Cloward, shared that SafeNest’s focus on addressing the devastating impact of domestic violence aligns with the nonprofit health system’s mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible. “Domestic violence is a key social driver of health, non-medical factors that can significantly impact the health of a family, neighborhood, and community,” Cloward said. “As a forever anchor institution, Intermountain is committed to serving our communities with the long-term health of all individuals as our top priority. We are honored to have been able to create a sustainable resource for our community partner SafeNest and its clients for years to come.”
At Intermountain Health, we believe that supporting our communities means meeting people where they are — in clinics, in classrooms, and sometimes right on the practice field. That’s why we’re proud to have registered dietitian Sara Harcourt from Intermountain Sevier Valley Hospital serving as the dedicated sports nutritionist for Snow College–Richfield athletes. From personalized nutrition plans to practical fueling tips and community connections, Sara is helping nearly 90 student athletes train smarter, recover better, and build healthy habits that last long after college.
When a 19‑year‑old with uncontrolled diabetes and depression refused emergency care, Megan, a social worker in the Primary Children’s Hospital Diabetes Clinic, stayed by their side for hours. She offered emotional support, collaborated with crisis teams, and helped the patient feel safe and heard. This is Care Management in action, and it continues beyond the hospital doors. Through Select Health's Healthy Connections team, care managers partner with members like Maria as they manage chronic conditions, coordinate care between doctors, specialists, and community resources, address barriers such as transportation, housing, and food security, and navigate the healthcare system. Together, Intermountain Health and Select Health ensure patients and members receive the right care at the right time in the right setting, with dignity and hope at the center of every story. Read more about how our caregivers are transforming lives every day in the article below.
