University of Utah Health Care (UHCC), along with thousands of hospitals across the United States is celebrating Hospital Week. From May 11th through the 17th UHCC will join in thanking the more than 5.6 million hospital workers across the country – including the close to 9,000 that work in the four hospitals and 10 community clinics in the UHCC system. "We're committed to supporting the health and well-being of everyone in our community," says University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics CEO David Entwistle, "whether its high-level care in our newborn intensive care unit, burn and trauma center or the Huntsman Cancer Institute or preventive care in our community health centers, we're always ready and willing to help."
The American Hospital Association says Hospital Week is a time to honor those people who, in this week alone, will care for more than 662,000 patients, deliver more than 71,000 babies, and provide emergency care to more than 2.6 million people. In a video on their website they praise hospital workers for always being "prepared to care" for any patient, at any time.
Entwistle also points out that while the UUHC is focused on patient care, it is also one of just 119 Academic Medical Centers in the United States and the only one in the Intermountain region. "We're also committed to training future caregivers and developing future treatments for disease," he says. Enwistle tells The Scope that the academic aspect makes UUHC stronger, saying "we have some of the best physisicans and greatest teachers because they've gone out and they've become experts in their own light, in their own fields because they are here training our students. And so we're able to deal with some of the most challenging illnesses, diseases and other prospectives because we need the very best teaching our students."
We hope that you take a moment this week to consider the impacts of hospitals and clinics on your community, and your lives. "To our staff, Happy Hospital Week," says Entwistle, "and to our community thank you for your continued support of University Health Care."