St. Luke's Health System

On March 8, St. Luke’s Veterans Employee Resource Group hosted its largest-ever member event at Bogus Basin, bringing together 63 participants?for an unforgettable day of snow tubing, camaraderie, and family fun! ? The family-friendly event?was organized and led by VERG vice president?Sandy Allen, who worked tirelessly to ensure an enjoyable experience for all attendees. Thanks to VERG’s funding, cost was not a barrier, allowing members, spouses and children to participate and connect with fellow St. Luke’s employees who share a passion for supporting our veterans. ? “The VERG tubing event at Bogus was a great experience for young and old," said one member. "… This was such a great experience, thanks so much for setting this up for our VERG families.”

St. Luke’s Elmore Health Foundation is pleased to announce it has been awarded $4,500 through AgWest Farm Credit’s Rural Community Grant program. The grant will be used toward the replacement of two aging echocardiogram machines located within St. Luke’s Elmore facilities; one is housed within the hospital, and the other is in the St. Luke’s Elmore Specialty Clinic. Echocardiograms are used to diagnose acute events like a heart attack and provide ongoing monitoring as part of a patient’s care plan. “These essential diagnostic tools are used daily for cardiac care. The current ‘echos’ are approaching end-of-service-life,” said Lisa Melchiorre, chief operating and nursing officer for St. Luke’s Elmore. “New machines will offer patients the enhanced care that’s available through the technology of today’s echocardiogram machines. We are incredibly grateful to AgWest Farm Credit for their support, which will further enhance cardiac care for our communities." AgWest’s Rural Community Grants provide funds to non-profit organizations for projects that improve rural communities within Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. This includes efforts such as building or improving facilities, purchasing necessary equipment to facilitate a local program, and funding capital improvements that enhance a community’s infrastructure, viability and prosperity. To date, St. Luke’s Elmore Health Foundation has raised more than $100,000 toward the purchase of the two echocardiograms. Additional philanthropy efforts are ongoing. St. Luke’s heart care services offer monthly clinic visits by physicians and advanced practice providers at the St. Luke’s Elmore’s Specialty Clinic. Having the needed equipment to provide the best possible care to patients is crucial to offering care to patients that is close to home. Without the echocardiogram technology, Mountain Home residents must travel 45 minutes to Boise or 85 miles to Twin Falls.

Caring Heart Awards spotlight: Jolene Parini-Shipley is a medical assistant at the Fruitland Cancer Institute, known for her strong patient advocacy and dedication to improving patient care. In 2024, she was honored with the Excellence in Service award, part of St. Luke’s Caring Heart Awards program. This award recognizes shared service and support team members who demonstrate our values and behaviors, and are a trusted partner to peers, customers and employees. She goes above and beyond to ensure patients’ needs are met, organizing birthday celebrations and fundraising activities. She also supports team members with events to improve morale. Parini-Shipley's commitment to understanding patients’ perspectives and advocating on their behalf is evident in her daily interactions. Parini-Shipley also communicates effectively with nurses and other staff, ensuring clarity and support for patients. “Jolene works to better understand the situations and looks at things from the perspective of the patient and their needs. She advocates … on behalf of the patient,” said a colleague.

In our ongoing celebration of Social Work Month, we’re shining the spotlight on Priscilla Bake, LCSW. Last July, the mental health therapist in Wood River was appointed to the Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners by Gov. Brad Little. This prestigious 5-year appointment allows her to contribute to upholding the ethical standards and responsibilities of the social work profession, including service, integrity, and commitment to society. The board convenes quarterly to review disciplinary actions, set and monitor continuing education requirements, and establish the standards of conduct and scope of social work practice in Idaho. Priscilla prioritizes clinical excellence. Her commitment to professional integrity fosters a positive and ethical work environment. Additionally, she is a passionate advocate for vulnerable populations and the clients she serves. Priscilla’s exemplary qualities make her a valuable addition to the Board of Social Work Examiners.

In early March, St. Luke’s Nampa hosted Leadership Nampa. Leadership Nampa is a nine-month program through the Nampa Chamber of Commerce that trains leaders from different industries in the community. For their health care-focused day, the group visited St. Luke’s for lunch and tours of the hospital. COO/CNO Misty Robertson welcomed the group and Dr. Alejandro Necochea spoke about health policy priorities for Idaho during lunch. Special thanks to the Nampa staff who helped put on a great tour for the group. Highlights included: ? A behavioral health services and Q&A session from Dr. Michael Walton ? Learning about cardiac rehabilitation and the Lifestyle Medicine clinic from Derek Kygar ? Hearing an overview of Nampa’s patient access work from Laney Rivera ? Trying out the DaVinci robot with surgical services manager Terri Gardner and team

There were plenty of big smiles for Pi Day at the St. Luke's Boise cafeteria!

First recipient of new award in Jerome is fitting for team member who has been a 39-year fixture. The recent town hall at St. Luke’s Jerome featured a surprise for one long-time team member — a video of team members acknowledging her great work and offering their heartfelt congratulations on a surprise award. “At our hospital, we recognize that certain individuals go above and beyond in caring for both patients and staff — not just as health care professionals, but as fierce advocates, trusted mentors, and unwavering sources of support,” said Jerome CNO/COO Kevin Watson. “To honor these remarkable qualities, we are proud to introduce the Mama Bear Award, celebrating those who lead with compassion, expertise and an unshakable commitment to our hospital’s mission. There is no one more fitting to be the inaugural recipient than Katie Lammers.” Lammers has worked at the Jerome hospital for 39 years has worn many hats over her career — Med-Surg nurse, ED nurse, infusion nurse, charge nurse, director of nursing, interim administrator, supervisor and more. She has played a crucial role in shaping the Jerome hospital’s future, from participating in the EPIC build team to championing Shared Governance for years. Lammers plans to retire next year.

March is National Social Work Month and this year's theme is Social Work: Compassion + Action. Today we are honoring our social workers in Lifestyle Medicine. Lifestyle Medicine is a medical specialty dedicated to preventing, treating, and reversing chronic diseases through evidence-based lifestyle interventions. Within the Heart and Vascular service line, St. Luke’s Lifestyle Medicine clinics offer a range of programs, including Cardiopulmonary Rehab and the Lifestyle Medicine Program, which encompasses the Nicotine Dependence Treatment and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia programs. Our team includes five exceptional medical social workers who play a crucial role in helping patients adopt and sustain health improvements. They provide support through group education, shared provider visits, and one-on-one counseling services. Their expertise spans health behavior change, insomnia, nicotine dependence, chronic illness management, stress management, and fostering connectivity. Collectively, our social workers bring an impressive 96 years of social work practice, with 46 of those years dedicated to serving St. Luke’s. Their diverse experience includes oncology, education, substance abuse recovery, inpatient hospital care, cystic fibrosis, pediatric primary care, integrated behavioral health, and St. Luke’s Health Partners. When asked about their work, they expressed feeling “incredibly grateful, hopeful, honored, supported, and passionate.” We are proud to honor their dedication and contributions during Social Work Month. In the pictures: Lifestyle Medicine Program-Anne Daggett, LCSW, LeAnn Mora, LCSW, and Lesa Breding, LCSW (left to right) Cardiopulmonary Rehab-Jamie Connors, LCSW and Jessica Gefre, LCSW (not pictured)

Caring Heart Awards spotlight: Jen Wilkin?is the director of operations for St. Luke’s hospitalists, responsible for providing leadership, direction and administration for clinics, programs and services. Jen has significantly expanded the program by overseeing the recruitment and hiring of doctors and advanced practice providers, developing innovative staffing models and successfully leading the hospitalist system through the COVID-19 pandemic.? ? In 2024, Jen was honored with the Excellence in Leadership award, part of St. Luke’s Caring Heart Awards program. This award recognizes leaders who demonstrate St. Luke's values and behaviors and engage and empower their teams. ? Her integrity, empathy and commitment to excellence have earned her respect and admiration from colleagues. Jen’s approach to leadership has fostered a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within the hospitalist group, ultimately leading to enhanced patient care. ? “Jen embodies excellence in leadership, characterized by her talent, hard work, discipline, creativity and unwavering commitment to the group's well-being,” said her colleagues. "Her ability to identify and maximize potential in both processes and individuals within the hospitalist operations and governance is remarkable.? ? "She not only contributes significantly to the group's success through helping maintain stability of its operations but also empowers those around her, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among team members."

The team at St. Luke's Nampa recently recognized lab specialist Crystal Booker with a Sunshine Award for her recent care of a patient. The patient's mother nominated Booker, stating: “Crystal was phenomenal in providing excellent care to my daughter when she went to St. Luke’s for her lab work. My daughter has special needs and this was her fourth-ever blood draw, but the first not done by her specialty provider. Crystal talked my daughter through the entire process and made it a comfortable and easy process. No tears and my daughter actually had fun!” Congratulations Crystal and thank you for your outstanding care! In the picture: The Nampa lab team with Crystal via video.