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Hope And Healing: The Life Of A Hospital Therapy Dog

Intermountain Healthcare
"This is what I needed. I can feel my blood pressure and heart rate dropping. I think I'll be okay.”";

Patrick has spent the last eight years as a certified therapy dog. He helps patients feel calm and at ease during their hospital stay. But his owners, Katie and Bob Elder, got their biggest surprise when an ICU doctor – after a long, stressful day – asked if Patrick could come visit to help her calm down from the day. She pulled Patrick in and just held onto him.

Support for programming on Utah Public Radio comes from Intermountain Healthcare, a Utah-based not-for-profit system of 23 hospitals, 160 clinics, 2,400 employed doctors and advanced practice providers, a health plans group under the name SelectHealth, and other medical services.