Healthcare heroes: quiet champions of hope.

• Author: Business, Utah

From physicians who have dedicated their entire lives to caring for their patients to volunteers who have spent countless hours comforting people who are going through difficult times, this year's Healthcare Heroes are nothing short of amazing. Join us as we honor 24 of the state's most humble and talented members of the medical community in our annual Healthcare Heroes program.

Dr. Ginette Pepper is widely regarding in the medical community for her pioneering work as the nation's first geriatric nurse practitioner.

During her career, she has become nationally known as an expert in patient safety. Her research to prevent harm resulting from pharmacologic interventions, particularly in the elderly population, is evidenced by her numerous publications and presentations, which have been recognized by multiple research and teaching awards.

Though Pepper paved the way nationally in geriatric research, she says her role as a professor in the University of Utah's College of Nursing has been the most rewarding part of her career. "I marvel at fthe studentel growth and contributions," she says. "Recently I was in a meeting with a student who was presenting her research to a clinical team. It was heartwarming to see how well she articulated the importance of her research in a way that engaged the clinicians to get involved."

Pepper is also an advocate for working parents--specifically women. During her career she has worked to make sure nurses are able to work in "an environment that provides the resources working parents need so they can fully contribute to patient care she says.

Pepper is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and in 2013, she was honored by her alma mater, the University of Colorado, with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. J. Preston Hughes followed in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather when he became a doctor, and since the beginning, he's been serving the community both on and off the job.

Though Hughes is semi-retired as of this year, his decades in the medical field have shown his commitment to Utah's communities. He has donated both money and service to the Maliheh Free Clinic, Fourth Street Clinic, The Road Home and Hope Clinic.

"The contributions of physicians like Dr. Hughes are what make our clinic possible," says Jeanie Ashby, executive director at the Maliheh Free Clinic. "No matter what a patient needs, he finds a way to make it happen."

Hughes also manages the Preston G. Hughes Foundation, named after his father, through which he donates money anonymously to a variety of causes, including opening nine international pharmacies that provide free medications to those in need. His donations also supported the development of a University of Utah educational program that was established to evaluate and improve healthcare in Ghana.

"The highlight of my Iife has been the administering and gifting of 5 percent of the foundation's value every year," Hughes says.

Hughes has also served on several local boards. and has earned numerous awards throughout his career, including the U's Utah Medical Student's Doctor of the Year in 2008 and the Utah Medical Association's Distinguished Award in 2007.

Dr. Thomas Caine has always been guided by a singular attitude: his deep concern for every patient. In Fact, his wife, Mary Ellen, says, "He has always cared about people and this included his patients and their families. It is part of who he is."

For more than 40 years, Caine has been practicing internal medicine--an area that has been a natural fit for him. He has been known to meet his patients at the emergency room shortly after they call and to visit hospitalized patients on his days off Because of this, he's been recognized with the establishment of three presidential endowed chairs, one professorship and two lectureships.

"It is extremely important to get to know your patients," he says. "The very best way to do this is to listen and take the time. You may be busy, but your patients deserve your undivided attention and care."

In 1971, Caine became chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, a position he held until 1988. Under his leadership, the division grew from two to 17 faculty members. While there, Caine was also well known for his diplomacy and willingness to get tasks done.

"He really imprinted ... the importance of always putting the patient first," says John Hoidal, current chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah. "His philosophy was you give back for the privilege of being a doctor."

Dr. Julie Fox is trained to treat everything from a broken arm to a heart attack--something that has given her the opportunity to take on the role of different types of physicians, such as a surgeon, cardiologist or obstetrician, even if it's for a short while.

This variety, paired with years of learned skills and experience, are just some of what makes Fox's career rewarding. "It is rewarding to make a difference," she says. "In the ER, even little things can be rewarding, like taking a pea out of a 2-year-olds nose. In administration, [it's rewarding] to organize a group and see them succeed. It is fun for me to take a project from just an idea to something real."

In 2010, Fox became deeply involved in the execution of Utah's first satellite emergency department, the St. Mark's Lone Peak Emergency Center. She also provided vision and leadership during the building of Lone Peak Hospital.

"Building a new hospital from the ground up required Dr. Fox to successfully triage important factors and details on a daily basis and adjust quickly to changing factors," says Mark Meadows, CEO at Lone Peak. "Her positive attitude and fair approach helped to entice the optimal combination of physicians to comprise the inaugural medical staff at Lone Peak."

Fox is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. She has also been involved in a local emergency medical services group that brings together emergency medical service providers to create and manage field protocols.

Terri Kane began her healthcare career as a bedside nurse, an experience that has added depth and knowledge to her administrative work. "I believe I connect to our team in a unique way. I understand their work, their pressures, and I have experienced many of their same feelings--dealing with new life, death, disappointment and debilitating disease," she says.

Kane has served in several roles for Intermountain Healthcare over the past three decades. In 2001, she moved to St. George to serve as the COO of Dixie Regional and became its CEO in 2006. Her tenure has included renovation of the 400 East campus and the construction of a new River Road campus. She has also overseen the addition of new medical services to the community, including open-heart surgery, maternal fetal medicine, hyperbaric medicine, acute rehabilitation, neurosurgery, Life Flight services and much more.

"During the first week the River Road campus opened, the hospital was overwhelmed with a large volume of patients. It had been years since Terri had worked outside of healthcare administration, but she came to work in her scrubs...