Beth Armstrong 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.
Armstrong started at People’s Health Clinic in 2016, after then-director Nann Worel stepped down to devote more time to her official city duties. During the last five years, Armstrong is proud of the work that was accomplished – from improving the long term financial outlook and growing the programs for the Wasatch Back’s uninsured population, to increasing the number of patients seen every year.
“Sometimes it's good to leave on a positive note and I feel like that's where we are,” Armstrong said. “We've implemented so many things over even the past two or three years during the pandemic. Everything from becoming a vaccinations for Children's Clinic, assisting and getting the vaccine clinic up and running for Summit County. We still supply volunteers for testing We started an AP RN program for mental health patients. We’ve expanded mental health. We've added a welcome baby program. We now have a diabetes education and hypertension education and management program. We've also significantly expanded all of our planned contraceptive program and our family planning at the clinic due to the loss of some of our contraceptive partners here in town. We're educating our young mothers on the significance of birth spacing.”
Armstrong’s last day at the clinic is January 28th and she starts her new position Jan. 31st. The board of directors is accepting applications for her replacement. If necessary, she says they will bring in an interim Ex. Director.
“The clinic is unique in that we not only are a clinic that takes care of patients but we also have that fundraising arm and that outreach arm so it's some unique criteria that we that we're looking for,” Armstrong explained. “So, if you think you're qualified, we really do encourage you to apply for the job and come in and talk to us. It's an incredibly exciting place to be. We have a remarkable, very solid staff. We have the only turnover we really have is we employ AmeriCorps VISTAs to do some of our medical assistance work. And those VISTAs stay with us for a year and then most of them - actually 99% of them - leave to either become medical students or physician assistant students or nurse practitioner students.”
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.
She notes that in the last few years, they have seen their patient numbers grow by more nearly 45%. Part of it, she says is that more people are learning about the services the clinic offers and also that insurance costs are out of reach for many.
