The People’s Health Clinic welcomed donors to Pendry Park City on Saturday evening for a fundraising gala that took a different approach: No tickets were sold, and the night centered on candid conversations led by medical professionals about the challenges shaping today’s healthcare landscape.
The event came as shifts in Affordable Care Act subsidies are expected to leave more residents without coverage, a change clinic leaders warn could increase demand for free medical care. Officials said thousands of Summit and Wasatch County residents may lose access to insurance in the coming year, straining a nonprofit that already logged more than 20,000 patient encounters in 2024.
Board members, volunteer providers, local officials and longtime partners filled the room to show their support.
The evening included a broader discussion about today’s medical landscape, where rising costs, shifting policies and systemic inefficiencies are putting new pressure on safety-net providers. Dr. Marc Harrison, former CEO of Intermountain Healthcare, noted that despite these challenges, the People’s Health Clinic has built outcomes that rival far larger systems by designing care around its patients.
The program also acknowledged the clinic’s history. Founder John Hanrahan, who launched the People’s Health Clinic 26 years ago, was recognized for his contributions alongside current Chief Executive Officer Mairi Leining, who in recent years has increased the organization’s reach.
But most of the evening focused on the current challenges. Despite Park City’s affluent appearance, a speaker said thousands of workers who staff hotels, restaurants and resorts remain excluded from Medicaid, CHIP and ACA marketplace plans, even though they pay taxes that support those programs.
Nearly one in three Utah workers is employed by a business with no legal obligation to offer health insurance. With upcoming policy changes, clinic leaders expect even more community members to rely on free care.
Volunteer medical providers, who deliver most of the clinic’s care, received a standing round of applause. Organizers also recognized the leadership committee, the clinic’s board of directors and Pendry for donating the venue and meal. Intermountain Health was thanked for providing clinical space and access to imaging, laboratory work and specialty consultation.
Discussing broader challenges in the nation’s healthcare system, Leining noted that many of the barriers patients face stem not from medical limitations but from the way the system is structured. She said the clinic’s ability to design care around patients rather than billing restrictions has led to outcomes that outperform national standards.
Leining introduced the next portion of the program by highlighting the clinic’s staff, describing them as the heart and soul of the organization. She invited physician assistant Rachelle Flynn to the stage, noting that she has grown into an exceptional clinician and become one of the most requested mentors for students and trainees.
Flynn, who has been with the People’s Health Clinic for a decade, explained that she first joined as a medical assistant while deciding what kind of provider she hoped to become. She said the mentorship she received at the clinic, including from founder Dr. John Hanrahan, revealed the true heart of medicine.
“First, trust earned over time, and the steady follow-through that holds patients up when they need it the most,” she said
That experience inspired her to attend physician assistant school, and she returned to the clinic immediately after completing her training.
Flynn described the patients at The People’s Health Clinic as essential members of the community — workers who power the local tourism economy and neighbors who care for children, maintain homes and keep the town functioning.
She introduced the story of one of her patients, Angelica, whom she first met in 2017 after the woman found a breast lump. Flynn said becoming a mother herself has deepened her understanding of what Angelica faced at age 38 while raising a baby and confronting a frightening diagnosis. She called Angelica’s journey one of courage and resilience and invited the audience to watch a short film about her story.
In the film, Flynn was candid about the difficulty of delivering bad news. However, she said that she views it as a journey, not a single sentence, noting that while a diagnosis can be life-altering, it can also be life-saving because it gives clinicians a way to guide patients toward the next step.
At the People’s Health Clinic, she added, that next step includes an immediate support system to help patients navigate what comes next.
Patty Garcia, who has worked at the clinic for 16 years, spoke after the film and described the deeply personal nature of her job as patient access director. She is often the one who sits with patients after they receive a difficult diagnosis, helping them understand the next steps, coordinating testing and specialist visits and reassuring them that they are not facing the process alone.
She said Angelica’s family represents the resilience and determination of many patients who turn to the clinic during their most uncertain moments.
“At People’s Health Clinic, we don’t just provide medical care. We provide hope, we provide direction. We provide a place where families like Angelica’s can breathe for a moment and know that they don’t have to fight alone,” Garcia said.
She introduced Angelica as “a pillar of strength,” and Angelica walked to the stage with her children as the room rose in applause.
“I first want to thank God for being here together with my family,” Angelica said. “Thank you to everyone who supports the People’s Health Clinic. Because of all of that help, people like me are able to get a diagnosis on time. Thank you for giving us a second chance to be here … Thank you for letting me still be here and see my kids grow.”
The evening closed with a paddle raise, where supporters helped the clinic reach its $600,000 goal — funding that will provide a stronger foundation as it prepares for rising community need and supports the addition of a part-time pediatrics position.
For more information, visit peopleshealthclinic.org.