Issues

UHA tracks and contributes to major issues affecting hospitals and the health of Utahns. Each topic area features news, policy updates, and stories from the field.

Finding a Safe First Step Toward Recovery

Finding a Safe First Step Toward Recovery

The Big Picture Substance use disorder affects people from every walk of life. For many Utahns, the need for treatment is real and immediate — but fear, stigma, and concerns about disruption often keep people from seeking help. At Aspen Grove Behavioral Hospital,...

How a Utah-Built AI App Is Changing Care for COPD and Asthma Patients

How a Utah-Built AI App Is Changing Care for COPD and Asthma Patients

The Big Picture A new AI-powered app co-created in Utah is changing how care teams monitor and support patients with chronic lung disease. Instead of waiting for a patient’s next appointment — or the next crisis — the technology helps care teams track patient health...

Building a Culture of Safety: How Patient and Family Voices Strengthen Hospital Care

The Big Picture Keeping people safe in a hospital takes more than policies and checklists—it takes a culture where everyone feels comfortable speaking up. High reliability...

Early Detection, Better Outcomes: A New Effort to Identify Cognitive Impairment Sooner

The Big Picture Utah is aging faster than many people realize. While the state is known for being young, it’s now the fifth fastest-aging state in the U.S.—and that shift is...

Intermountain Alta View Expands Behavioral Health Access with New Center and Maternal Mental Health Unit

The Big Picture Intermountain Health is expanding access to behavioral health care in the Salt Lake Valley with the opening of a new, purpose-built Behavioral Health Center...

Happy CNA Week!

Happy National CNA Week! Thank you to all the Certified Nursing Assistants of the world who do so much for patients and staff every single day.

New San Juan Hospital Construction Update: Building Momentum Toward a 2026 Opening

The Big Picture San Juan Hospital is making major strides on a new hospital facility in Monticello—an investment designed to expand care access and strengthen healthcare...

2026 UHA Golf Tournament Fundraiser is a Hole-In-One for Generosity

Yesterday was the 26th annual UHA golf tournament fundraiser located at Thanksgiving Point. Over 130 guests attended the event and donated generously to HOSPAC, Utah's...

Hospital Safety Is Personal

Why it matters Intermountain Health earned recognition as one of the nation's safest health systems in the 2025 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, with 14 hospitals receiving...

Kane County Hospital Expansion: Bringing More Care Closer to Home

Kane County Hospital is moving forward on a major expansion designed to bring more critical services closer to home. Leaders say the project is about more than adding space;...

The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer: Simple Steps to Keep Kids Safe

The Big Picture Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, families across Utah enter what safety experts call the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer”—a stretch when serious injuries...

Where Healing Meets Movement: Inside the L.S. Skaggs Wellness Center’s Supervised Medical Gym

The Big Picture For many people living with chronic disease, disability, or recovering from a major health event, exercise can be intimidating ,or even unsafe, without the...

When Every Minute Counts: 24/7 Behavioral Health Support at Aspen Grove

The Big Picture Behavioral health crises can escalate quickly, leaving individuals and families unsure where to turn. In those moments, access to timely stabilization, detox...

Center for Change Expands Eating Disorder Care as Need Rises

The Big Picture Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening mental health conditions—not phases or lifestyle choices. In recent years, providers have seen sharp increases...

Targeting What Surgery Can’t See: How GammaTile Works

This months' The Future of Healthcare... is all about a tiny solution to fixing humongous problems: GammaTiles. The Big Picture When a surgeon removes a cancerous brain...

Mental Health Awareness Month Spotlight: New TAG Network Membership Expands Care for Children Facing Trauma and Loss

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to spotlight both the need for behavioral health support and the resources available to help people and families...

New 56-Bed Behavioral Health Center Expands Access to Care in Sandy

During Mental Health Awareness Month, Intermountain Health is expanding access to behavioral health care in the Salt Lake Valley with the opening of a new,...

Stroke Awareness Month: Recognize Symptoms, Reduce Risk, Respond Fast

The Big Picture Stroke is a medical emergency—and minutes matter. When a stroke interrupts blood flow to the brain, brain cells can begin dying within minutes, which can...

University of Utah Health Study Explores How Heat and Air Quality Affect Suicide Risk

The Big Picture Suicide rates have been steadily rising in Utah and across the U.S. since the late 1990s. While prevention efforts continue to expand, researchers are...

Bigger Space, Faster Care: Cedar City Hospital’s New Emergency Department

The Big Picture A major expansion at Intermountain Cedar City Hospital is reshaping what emergency care can look like in rural Utah—bringing more space, more capability, and...

Targeting Treatment, Supporting Patients: A Look Inside Modern Radiation Care

The Big Picture Radiation therapy can be an intimidating word, but for most people it’s part of a carefully designed, deeply human process: delivering powerful treatment...

One Year In: A New Era of Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida

The Big Picture A year after introducing a groundbreaking approach to fetal surgery for spina bifida, clinicians at Utah’s leading children’s hospitals are marking a...

Forward Thinking for Utah Healthcare

The Big Picture Utah’s hospitals and health systems are navigating a moment of rapid change. From shifting policy and economic pressures to evolving patient needs, the...

Evidence, Excellence, and Compassion: How Utah Hospitals Keep Improving Care

The Big Picture Utah hospitals and health systems are constantly looking for new ways to improve care — not just by working harder, but by working smarter. That’s why many...

National Hospital Week: Stories of Care That Don’t Happen by Chance

The Big Picture Miracles in healthcare aren’t random. They’re the result of people—highly trained, deeply compassionate teams—showing up every day with skill, patience, and...

National Hospital Week: The People Behind Utah’s Healthcare

The Big Picture Every day, decisions about healthcare—budgets, policies, and what services get funded—are made in rooms far from the bedside. But those choices shape what...