Utah Tech University

Intermountain Healthcare

A message from President and CEO Dr. Marc Harrison to Intermountain caregivers:

Let’s lean in and take care of our communities. And let’s lean on one another for support

Last week was particularly challenging for our caregivers and our families. We’re all adjusting to a new world at work and at home—and we’ve had to do it quickly. As we regain our footing in these uncertain times, we’re all seeking information and resources to stay ahead of the demands we face. Please know we have teams across Intermountain that are working hard to deliver on all fronts for the long haul. But as stress levels rise, our patience with the situation and with each other will be tested. Please don’t forget—we’re in this together. Let’s lean in and take care of our communities as we always have in good times and in times of crisis. And let’s lean on one another for the support we’re all going to need. As always, thank you for all that you do in service to our patients and communities.

Intermountain and U of U Health working with charitable organizations on mask donations

  • Intermountain Healthcare and University of Utah Health are working with charitable organizations on a process for the community to help in producing medical-grade masks.
  • We’ll share that information broadly when the process is developed—including an invitation for community members to assist in producing those specific masks.
  • We ask people to not call the COVID-19 hotlines about donations, so the call lines can remain open for individuals with medical needs.

Intermountain offers community testing sites

  • Intermountain has established 22 COVID-19 community testing sites from Burley to St. George.
  • The sites, located primarily at InstaCare locations, are intended to receive patients who have been directed by clinicians, physicians, or APPs to be tested.
  • Beginning Tuesday, March 24, 13 of the 22 sites will also offer screening for the virus.

More details

  • Community members are encouraged to stay home, self-isolate, and rest if they have very mild symptoms.
  • For worse symptoms, they should call the COVID-19 Hotline at 844-442-5224 and speak to a healthcare professional.
  • As directed by a healthcare professional from the hotline, they are also welcome to visit a nearby screening location.

New COVID-19 Symptom Checker digital tool helps people assess risk, navigate care

  • Intermountain has launched a new COVID-19 Symptom Checker available to everyone and easily accessible on intermountainhealthcare.org.
  • This is an easy-to-use, digital tool to help people assess their symptoms and risk for COVID-19, and to navigate to the most appropriate care setting.
  • It uses a friendly AI-powered digital assistant named Scout to walk people through key questions related to their health status. The symptom checker also provides general information and answers common questions.

Imaging and Laboratory Services will postpone non-urgent diagnostic tests

  • Imaging and Laboratory Services will postpone non-urgent diagnostic testing effective March 23, 2020. This is consistent with our decision to postpone elective surgeries and non-urgent ambulatory care visits.
  • If a patient insists they receive diagnostic testing, we’ll provide the service—emphasizing the extra precautions we’re taking to deliver safe care to all patients.

Infection prevention director discusses visitor restrictions, why they’re so important

  • Cherie Frame, Intermountain’s infection prevention director, talks about visitor restrictions, why they were implemented, and how they’re going to help our communities stop the spread.
  • We invite you to watch the Facebook Live video.

Virtual classes are available on improving self-management of chronic disease and preventing diabetes

To learn skills and tools to improve self-management of chronic disease, participate in a free online Living Well with Chronic Conditions program (Better Choices, Better Health) by:

  1. Visiting Intermountain’s Better Choices, Better Health website.
  2. Scrolling down to the “Join an Online Course” section and click on “Click here to join an online course”
  3. Scrolling down and click on “Join the Workshop”
  4. Creating an account and complete the remaining information to register for an online workshop that starts on a Monday

Learn the basic steps to prevent diabetes by accessing a free Prediabetes 101 video by:

  1. Visiting Intermountain’s Diabetes Prevention Programs page to access the video in English or Spanish. English video is approximately 23 minutes; Spanish video is about 25 minutes long.

Medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE)

Inventory of supplies and PPE are low everywhere, not only locally, but throughout the country. Intermountain is taking significant measures to ensure appropriate use of supplies/PPE and to reduce waste in order to preserve it for when it is needed for our caregivers and patients. Due to these shortages, we do not anticipate being able to provide supplies or PPE outside of Intermountain for the foreseeable future. While there are efforts in place to obtain PPE from other industries such as veterinary medicine and construction etc., we encourage all to use appropriately and only when needed.

Making face masks for hospitals and healthcare workers

We appreciate the generosity of so many in our community who are looking for ways to support the COVID-19 response. In particular, many have offered to donate homemade masks to local hospitals and clinics.

Intermountain Healthcare and University of Utah Health are working with several charitable organizations in the state to develop a process for the community to assist in producing medical grade masks. As soon as we have that process developed, we will share that information broadly and invite community volunteers to assist with producing those specific masks.

In the meantime, we encourage individuals who are making their own masks to share them with neighbors who could benefit from them. We’d also ask the community to not call the COVID-19 hotlines regarding donations, so that those resources remain available for individuals with medical needs.

COVID-19 materials in spanish

Intermountain has developed many materials in Spanish and we are happy to send them to you (copies of materials were provided with this FAQ’s document and may be shared with community partners).

In addition, Intermountain follows the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.  The CDC has developed information in Spanish here.

Financial assistance and charity care

Low-income and uninsured people will be able to receive COVID-19 testing as needed following the current testing protocols/criteria.  Financial assistance including full charity care will continue to be available and applied as is currently in place. All charges for testing will be held to ensure appropriate processing for financial assistance. Please encourage anyone concerned to apply.

Interpersonal violence

Some of our community members may not feel safe from others in their home due to isolation during social distancing.

The best thing we can do as a health system is to help disseminate accurate information and education about healthy vs unhealthy relationships and the resources available for those in need:

Resources for up-to-date information about COVID-19

  • Intermountain Healthcare
  • Utah Department of Health (UDOH)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • The World Health Organization (WHO)