Denver Health

Now in its second year, the Rural Education Symposium brought together providers, EMS professionals and nurses from across Colorado for two days of hands-on training and case-based learning. Designed to support rural healthcare providers caring for critically ill or injured patients, the symposium focused on building knowledge, confidence and decision-making skills for high-acuity situations in settings where resources may be limited. Training covered topics such as identifying patients who can be managed locally, recognizing when transfers are needed and navigating common challenges in rural emergency medicine, including limited diagnostics, staffing variability and extended transport times. Thank you to Denver Health's Winter Park Medical Center, our partners at Flight For Life, Rocky Vista University and Grand County EMS, along with everyone who joined us to help strengthen care for rural communities across our state. 💙

At Denver Health, preparing for the unexpected is one of the many ways we help care for and protect our community, region and beyond. Our Biocontainment Unit is one of only 13 high-level isolation units identified across the country more than a decade ago during the Ebola outbreak. While there are currently no known Andes hantavirus cases in Colorado, our teams continue to train regularly and stay ready to safely respond if specialized care is needed regionally or nationally. 👇 Learn more in the recent KUSA-TV, 9NEWS story below.

EMS Week is officially underneigh at Denver Health. 💙🐴 We kicked off the week by celebrating our Denver Health Paramedic Division with coffee, breakfast burritos and a visit from two very special guests: Happy Times and Hunny B, American miniature horses from McNicholas Miniatures. The therapy horses brought a soothing presence and plenty of smiles to the paramedic garage, giving our paramedics, emergency medical technicians and vehicle support technicians a well-deserved moment of connection and joy. All week long, we are recognizing our EMS teams for the professional, compassionate and clinically excellent care they provide to our community every day. Happy #EMSWeek!

✨ Meet Denver Health Family Nurse Practitioner, Jill Chisolm, NP. ✨ Jill Chisolm works on the trauma and acute care surgery service at Denver Health and also serves as the Advanced Practice Provider Supervisor in the Department of Surgery. In our Level One Trauma Center, she helps provide safe, coordinated care during some of the most critical moments patients may face. Driven by a passion for serving medically underserved communities, Jill chose Denver Health for its dedication to the people of Denver and has remained committed to that mission ever since. At Denver Health, she works alongside extraordinary teams to ensure patients receive compassionate, industry-leading care when they need it most. 🎥 Watch to learn more about Jill and the trusted care she helps provide to patients at Denver Health. #MeetDenverHealth #MostTrusted #ForLifesJourney

The annual Hello, Little One Drive-Thru Baby Shower was a beautiful reminder of what community looks like. 💙 Thanks to the generosity of community members and Denver Health employees, more than 800 baby items were donated to support newborns and families we serve. Donors drove along an inspirational route highlighting Denver Health services offered throughout life’s journey for moms, babies and kids, while volunteers lined the path to cheer them on and celebrate their support. Thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered or helped make this event possible. Your support makes a meaningful difference for the families in our care. 🔗 Missed the event but still want to get involved? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gFnywX_U

🍄 As the psychedelic renaissance accelerates, new research from Denver Health highlights the importance of understanding real-world safety risks alongside the growing interest in psychedelic use. Researchers from Denver Health’s Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety (RMPDS), along with co-authors at the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science, released the first population-level study examining violence experienced during psychedelic use. The study was published today in the June 2026 edition of World Psychiatry. Key findings include: • 9.8% of past-year users reported sexual or physical violence. • 7.2% experienced sexual assault, with nearly 40% identifying a provider, facilitator or guide. • Risk was higher among students, young adults, people experiencing housing instability and racial minorities. • With 87% of use happening recreationally, safety conversations must extend beyond clinical settings. As psychedelics continue to move into therapy spaces, retreat environments and mainstream culture, these findings point to the need for stronger safeguards, clearer standards and harm-reduction practices that support safety across settings. Experts at Denver Health’s RMPDS are committed to advancing evidence-based understanding of psychedelic use, not just its potential benefits but its real-world risks. This study is a step toward building safer systems across the evolving psychedelic landscape. 🔗 Read the study to learn more: https://lnkd.in/guGHJF4R World Psychiatric Association (WPA); Denver Health Office of Research

Millions of Americans live with atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, a common heart rhythm condition that can affect how the heart beats. 🫀 In this Great Day Colorado segment, Denver Health electrophysiologist Christopher Barrett, MD, explains what AFib is, when patients may benefit from seeing an electrophysiologist and how advances in treatment and technology are helping support heart rhythm care. 🎥 Watch Dr. Barrett's full interview on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/gFkiNRmS 🔗 For more information visit: https://lnkd.in/gwMqQni3

New research shared by the Denver Health Office of Research highlights how the words used in a patient’s chart can shape the care they receive. In "Words matter: A campaign to reduce stigmatizing substance use language at an urban health system", published in Elsevier's Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, researchers from Denver Health and Public Health Institute at Denver Health evaluated a systemwide effort to reduce stigmatizing substance use language in clinical notes. After implementation, stigmatizing language decreased by 34.6%, largely driven by updates to EHR templates. Led by Hannan Braun, MD, and our Center for Addiction Medicine, this work shows how thoughtful system changes can support trust, reduce bias and strengthen patient-centered care. Learn more in the post below. 👇

Researchers at Denver Health are helping advance the conversation around psychoactive substances through a patient safety and public health lens. As public access to substances such as psilocybin, LSD and cannabis continues to evolve, research plays an important role in helping patients, providers and policymakers make informed decisions grounded in evidence. The Denver Health Office of Research shared a short video of Josh Black, PhD, senior scientist at Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety (RMPDS), discussing how real-world data can help improve care, reduce harm and support safer health decisions. 🎥 Watch the video below or visit: https://lnkd.in/gQjCjfpa

Denver Health is proud to be named a 2026 American Hospital Association Dick Davidson NOVA Award winner for our Housing Outreach, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE) program. 👏 Each year, the AHA recognizes five programs led by member hospitals and health systems that are improving community health through collaboration with community partners. For patients experiencing homelessness, recovery often depends on more than hospital care alone. Through HOPE, Denver Health works alongside housing and homelessness-response partners to connect patients with resources, recuperative care, supportive housing and the next steps they need for greater stability and well-being. Since its launch in 2018, the program has served hundreds of patients, helped reduce average hospital length of stay and supported stronger connections between health care, housing and community support. This national recognition reflects what is possible when hospitals, community partners and health systems work together to care for the whole person. Congratulations to our HOPE team and partners on this incredible honor. 💙 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g4yvny7T