Salt Lake City—The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) honors 13 rural healthcare workers with “Impact Awards” for their efforts to make sure all Utahns have access to quality healthcare services.
“It’s my pleasure to recognize these exemplary rural healthcare workers in honor of National Rural Health Day,” said Marc Watterson, director, DHHS Office of Primary Care and Rural Health. “We work hard to make quality healthcare services and programs affordable and accessible to all Utahns, no matter where they live. We couldn’t do this without the dedication of our rural healthcare workforce.”
There are often barriers that make it hard for people who live in rural areas to get healthcare, such as distance to clinics and hospitals, and transportation. The Utah State Legislature and the Department of Health and Human Services work together to provide incentives for healthcare providers to work in areas across the state with shortages of critical healthcare providers (like mental health professionals), through loan repayment and other programs. Utah is home to 9 independent hospitals, 15 rural health clinics, 60 federally-qualified health centers, and a dedicated workforce.
National Rural Health Day is recognized on the third Thursday in November each year. Governor Spencer Cox declared November 17–23 as Utah Rural Health Week, to recognize the efforts of the many rural healthcare providers, organizations, state Office of Rural Health, and communities dedicated to meet the unique healthcare needs of rural America. Visit https://ruralhealth.utah.gov/ for more information about rural health in Utah. Winners include:
Amy Jones
Certified social worker (CSW)
Castleview Hospital, Price, Utah
Jones handles cases of trauma, violence, substance use, isolation, depression, and death with great compassion in her role as a hospital social worker. She also finds time outside of work to help her community as a tireless volunteer.
Angela Settle
Registered dental hygienist (RDH)
Moab Free Health Clinic, Moab, Utah
Settle has served in a variety of roles at the Moab Free Health Clinic since 2012. She has been a volunteer, STD counselor, development director, board member, and is currently a dental hygienist. She helps with the delivery of free dental hygiene services to those in Grand and San Juan Counties who don’t have insurance.
Aubrey Thompson
Outreach and enrollment navigator, certified pharmacy technician, billing and collections specialist
Wayne Clinic, Bicknell, Utah
Thompson has a complex role. She answers questions about prescription benefits and coverage. She helps those struggling financially to get care. Thompson makes sure every patient gets the support they need.
Barbara Hyett
Registered nurse (R.N.)
Intermountain Gunnison Valley Hospital, Gunnison, Utah
Hyett has helped deliver hundreds of babies and save hundreds of lives during her 34 years at the hospital. She has a waitlist of student nurses who want to complete their clinical hours with her, and covers shifts for others despite her seniority. She is the glue that holds the hospital together.
Benjamin Williams, D.O.
Doctor of Osteopathy, chief medical officer
Creek Valley Health Clinic, Colorado City, Arizona
Dr. Williams delivers quality medical care to the communities he calls home on the Utah/Arizona border. He led efforts to develop Creek Valley Health Clinic and improve the health and well-being of those who live in the remote area.
Cari Spillman
Compliance director
Blue Mountain Hospital, Blanding, Utah
Spillman spent the last 14 years at Blue Mountain Hospital and recently started a new data analytics platform. The platform has already improved both patient safety interventions and financial outcomes for the hospital.
Colten Bracken, M.D.
Physician
Main Street Family Medicine, Enterprise, Utah
It is important to Dr. Bracken to care for the community where he was born and raised. Not only does he serve in his own clinic in Enterprise, he is also on the board of the Rural Health Association of Utah, moonlights at the Richfield emergency room, and serves as medical director for 3 local organizations.
Eli Menet
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Intermountain Garfield Memorial Hospital, Panguitch, Utah
Menet goes above and beyond for his patients. For example, he made the long drive when a patient was transferred by air to a larger facility on the Wasatch front to meet their family at the hospital with their belongings. Menet became an instant advocate for the family and made sure they were introduced to the resident social worker at the new hospital.
Garrett Galt
Endocrinology nurse practitioner
Intermountain Cedar City Hospital, Cedar City, Utah
Galt and his team recently opened the Intermountain Cedar City Diabetes Clinic mid 2023. The clinic already received the 2023 Patient Experience Award of Excellence for programs ranked in the top 5% in the nation for patient satisfaction.
Nicole Ramirez
Nurse educator and informatics specialist
Kane County Hospital, Kanab, Utah
Ramirez recently saved a patient’s life because she calls every patient who leaves the hospital. She found out a patient was at risk during one of her calls. The patient returned for care and was spared further complications, thanks to Ramirez.
Renee Johnson
Outpatient services coordinator
San Juan Health, Monticello, Utah
Johnson has started new cardiology, and tele-cardiology and tele-oncology programs in remote southeastern Utah—in just 5 years. Patients don’t need to travel long distances or even leave home to get critical care.
Roger Marett
Vice president of physician services
Uintah Basin Medical Center, Roosevelt, Utah
Marett has recruited 141 providers to serve in the hospital system since joining Uintah Basin Medical Center in 1991. His efforts to grow the medical center’s workforce helped it grow from 71,505 square feet to 459,569 square feet.
Wesley Crouch
Pharmacist
Sanpete Valley Hospital, Manti, Utah
Crouch started a cost savings program for prescription-drugs that has saved patients $3 million over seven years. He has been an important part of the Sanpete Valley Hospital team for the last 15 years.
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