Intermountain Health  is the largest healthcare provider in the Intermountain West, serving more than one million members, and their reported mission is to “go beyond treating illness and injury by encouraging healthy behaviors that can lead to longer, more fulfilling lives.”

As part of that mission, Intermountain Health offered free Ladies Night Out events at seven hospitals across Utah during September and October, and the events were such a success they will likely run them as an annual system-wide campaign in subsequent years, expanding their community outreach celebration to additional locations.

“We saw it on ‘events near me’ on Facebook and decided it would be fun to come. I took cards from several of the providers and plan to get appointments. They even had a hand surgeon available for questioning, and I need that,” Elanda Boles, a resident of South Salt Lake said holding up her hand. “It was really informative.”

“The food was also really good,” her friend Katee Garff added. “And we even got flowers.”

The events were intended to feel like a celebration, providing fun charcuterie cones, flutes of fruit juices and fresh bouquets to attendees.

Although not every person in the state is insured by Select Health (partner of Intermountain), these events were available for all members of each community, and advertised widely on social media platforms and signage across the state.

So, why was the event focused on ladies?

Women are often very good at taking care of their loved ones, families and friends, but that can make it difficult for women to prioritize their own health and well-being. 

The event was not only intended to celebrate women’s health, but also to teach women more about their health care needs through the various decades of their lives, from adolescence to childbirth, to the postpartum period to helping to prevent breast cancer with regular mammograms, and through the ups and downs of menopause and beyond. Women of all ages were encouraged to attend. 

Additionally, “women make 80% of the health care decisions for their families. So, the more informed they are, the healthier they and their loved ones can be,” Laura Simenson, women’s and newborn’s director at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, said.

Women were able to meet with women’s health providers from various medical specialties, such as women and newborn care, behavioral health, mammography, nutrition and pediatrics, as well as caregivers who specialize in women’s sports medicine, physical therapy, urology, breast reconstruction, cardiology, aging care, home health and hospice. Women were also able to schedule mammograms and to receive flu shots.

Several locations featured a question and answer session with a panel of women’s health-related providers. In Murray, the panel included an obstetrician/gynecologist and women’s health doctor, a surgeon and specialist in pelvic floor issues, and a physician’s assistant in cardiology. 

There were many questions answered and issues discussed, but “menopause and perimenopause are really having a moment,” the panel agreed. “Which is a good thing because it hasn’t previously gotten the attention and press this stage in life deserves.”

Thousands of women joined in the Ladies Night Out events across the state.

“We are proud to put on events to keep our community healthy and provide healthcare suggestions and screening options before care is an emergency,” Simenson said. “And we are lucky to have world-class healthcare right here in Murray. Intermountain Health is the No.1 rated academic medical center and we are excited for residents to get to know the providers.”

To find more resources for women’s health services link to intermountainhealthcare.org/services/womens-health λ