Submitted by TownLift; PARK CITY, Utah — People’s Health Clinic Executive Director, Beth Armstrong has announced she is stepping down and taking on a new role at Intermountain Healthcare facilities. She has been named as the Director of Development for the Intermountain Foundation which oversees philanthropy efforts along the Wasatch Back for Intermountain facilities, including the Park City and Heber City hospitals.

People’s Health Clinic is a volunteer-driven, community-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to providing no-cost quality healthcare to uninsured individuals in Summit and Wasatch Counties.

After 6 years of successfully developing innovative programs, increasing the number of patients seen annually as well as improving the long-term financial outlook for the uninsured population in Summit and Wasatch counties, especially during a pandemic, Armstrong is ready to pass the baton.

Since the pandemic began in 2020, the world and the Park City community has been filled with uncertainty. With Armstrong’s leadership, People’s Health Clinic remained open and continues to serve the patient’s and business community’s needs. She has been ensuring that the Clinic be the caring hand of the uninsured friends and neighbors in these most challenging times.

“I’ve never been prouder to lead this amazing organization and to be a part of this amazing community. After seeing what we can accomplish when we pull together, it is impossible to be anything but confident and optimistic about our future,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong says she leaves the clinic in “very good hands.” Dr. Mairi Leining was hired as the clinic’s new Medical Director last April and Armstrong says she has brought in her vast network of colleagues to help at the clinic to carry on the vision that healthcare is a human right and the quality of care available should not be determined by financial or legal status.

The board of directors is accepting applications for her replacement. If necessary, Armstrong says they will bring in an interim Executive Director.

Read full article here.

Park Record Small Town Stories: People’s Health Clinic

To Beth Armstrong, community service is second nature. So when she came to Park City in 2004 from Los Angeles where she’d worked in hospital administration, “I immediately became involved with the building of the Park City Hospital and went on its Board,” she says. She was named Executive Director of People’s Health Clinic in 2015.

Beth and her team worked hard keeping People’s Health Clinic open and staffed during the COVID emergency, adding new patients who had lost jobs and insurance. “We hired Dr. Mairi Leining as Medical Director to broaden volunteer providers and expand services to meet the 25 percent increase in patients since COVID,” she recalls.

Patients qualify for Clinic services if they have no health insurance and show proof of residency in Summit or Wasatch Counties. The Clinic offers non-emergency Primary care, Women’s Health Services (Prenatal, Mammograms, OBGYN), Diabetes Education and Treatment, Mental Health Services and Pediatrics.

Beth says her Louisiana small-town roots helped her connect with the Park City vibe of giving back and serving others. “That seems to be the lifeblood of who we are,” she says.

After many years in LA, the family came to Park City to accommodate their then 11-year-old son’s love for ski racing. “It was going to be a one-year move,” she laughs, “and the rest is history!”

Looking back on a successful management career, Beth says serving at People’s Health Clinic “is the greatest job I have ever had.”

We are glad she’s there! People’s Health Clinic has been earning our trust and admiration since 1999, and we love the work they do.

Find out how you can contribute at peopleshealthclinic.org.

Please take a moment to VOTE for People’s Health Clinic in two categories:

1. Best Fundraiser: Walk & Wine for Women’s Health for PHC 

2. Best Non-Profit: People’s Health Clinic 

Your vote goes a long way to promote awareness for PHC to those uninsured that need healthcare services in Summit and Wasatch Counties.

THANK YOU! 

Voting runs from September 30th

Results will be published in the Park Record on October 30th!

This week, Dr. Mairi Leining is taking on the role of medical director at the People’s Health Clinic after the retirement of longtime PHC staffer John Hanrahan.

Leining worked on staff with the clinic for two years and comes from the Park City Hospital, where she led the intensive care unit and worked as a hospitalist. Leining said global health had been a longtime passion and her work at the Park City Hospital inspired her to make the move to the People’s Health Clinic, which serves uninsured patients across Summit and Wasatch counties.

“I did work as a hospitalist for 15 years, the past eight at the Park City hospital where I really saw the impact of the People’s Health Clinic on the community, especially when I was taking care of uninsured members of the community that otherwise wouldn’t have had follow-up,” she said. “And that reignited my interest in taking care of underserved populations. And so, two years ago, I made the decision to transition over to the People’s Health Clinic full time, and I’ve never been more fulfilled as a provider.”

Leining said Hanrahan provided the vision at the clinic’s inception in 1999. She said the need for no-cost health care is essential in a resort-based community that relies on the working class to keep businesses running.

“We have to take into account that we have a migrant population both through the ski industry and also as undocumented residents come in and provide the working backbone of our community,” Leining said. “And they need to have a resource for basic healthcare, which wouldn’t exist if it were not for Dr. Hanrahan’s incredible insight. So, my job is easy from that standpoint that he has created this incredible infrastructure and framework over the past 22 years, and I get to come in and expand our programming to meet this growing need.” 

Hanrahan commended Leining’s work establishing a diabetes program last year. He said the data on the diabetes patients is encouraging.

“We just got our first six months report on our metrics and our diabetic patients are doing dramatically better since we instituted a much more expanded program for diabetes,” Hanrahan said. “I think we will see her expand that kind of programming into other chronic diseases like hypertension and obesity, and  hyperlipidemia. So I’m thrilled that she’s coming on board and has this capacity and ability to really expand our programming and view it from a public health perspective.”  

Leining said there are social determinants of health, such as poverty and unemployment, that can cause chronic conditions.  

“You’ll end up seeing obesity from having decreased access to healthy foods, and increased blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease, increases in diabetes,” she said. “And so, for this population, in particular, it’s critically important that we have good primary health care in place to help keep people out of the hospital.”

Leining said the clinic could use more volunteers with expertise in the medical subspecialties.

KPCW | By Leslie Thatcher

People’s Health Clinic hosted a grand finale Friday for their Walk For 21 fundraising event. Between August 1st and 21st, supporters walked 21 miles in 21 days to support the 21 years PHC has been in operation.

On Friday afternoon, a group of nonprofits (Peace House, Christian Center of Park City, Holy Cross Ministries and more) walked  from PHC to Park City Hospital to commemorate the 21 days people have been walking to support the mission of PHC.

KPCW | By Leslie Thatcher

The People’s Health Clinic was named as one of three Community Health Heroes from more than a thousand submissions made from across the country. 

This year, for the first time ever, Reader’s Digest magazine launched a health-focused extension of a program it runs in partnership with Life Extension Magazine. The Community Health Heroes search was to find those American “heroes” who are committed to supporting and inspiring their communities to live healthier lives.

Selected from more than a thousand submissions, People’s Health Clinic was one of the three winning Community Health Heroes this year.

Phillip Smith, the editor of Life Extension magazine, was one of the judges who selected the winners from ten finalists. He says the judges were  looking for people and organizations that are making an impact.

“I chose based on people that were  making a difference in other people’s health and had really stuck their necks out to make a difference. That’s how I basically evaluated the candidates.”

“And in your mind, how did the People’s Health Clinic stand out?”

“They really were pioneers in taking a huge leap and realizing the need in the community that wasn’t being met and they rolled up their sleeves and made it happen which I think is very ambitious and very impressive,” he answered.

In 1999, a Catholic priest, a physician and a local businessman decided to hold a health fair out of a rented van in a parking lot in Park City. More than 700 people showed up – it was then they knew something more must be done for the underinsured in our community. 20 years later, the health clinic moved into its own permanent building and still has only two requirements for treatment: you must be uninsured and live in Summit or Wasatch County.

Smith says the clinic helps ensure a healthy workforce.

“What we overlook a lot of times in this country is health is vital   – not only for people to feel good, but if you want people to go to work, to do their jobs, to take care of their families,” Smith said. “If they don’t have health, that’s a real problem and at Life Extensions, we really try and give people a lot of information and the tools to be responsible for their health and make a difference and hopefully don’t get caught up int the trap of catastrophic disease.  I think that this clinic is really out there trying to get on the front line before people get sick.”
 

Other than bragging rights, there were no cash gifts with the honor.