Quang Hoang
Quang Hoang, a clinical pharmacist in the respiratory ICU at Intermountain Medical Center, has a nature photography hobby that recently inspired a patient to get back outdoors after a long hospitalization. The patient had been walking by the pharmacy office multiple times a day during his physical therapy and stopped by one day to tell Quang how much he appreciated seeing the beauty.
“The photos are visible from the hallway and we usually keep the door open, so anyone who walks by can see them,” says Quang, who has been taking nature photos for more than a decade.
Quang’s photography has taken him all over the west.
“I’d printed a few of them to see how they’d look off the screen and I decided bring them to the office,” he says. “They’re reminders of places I’ve traveled during my camping and hiking trips. I’ve always loved the outdoors, so photography is a good compliment and way to spend time away from work.”
The patient had initially approached one of the pharmacy residents during his daily walk, telling her how nice it was to see the nature images during his time in the hospital. She then brought him in so he could see the photos closer.
When Quang met the patient, they connected on their mutual love of the outdoors and the adventures behind the photos. Quang’s photography has allowed him to capture the adventures from his trips to places like Horseshoe Bend at the Utah-Arizona border, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest. At times, he wakes early for sunrises and stays up all night to get shots of the milky way. All of this he says is a great way to disconnect from work.
To see more of Quang's photos visit his website: http://www.qphoang.com
“As we spoke this patient told me about his hospitalization and how it had been life-changing,” says Quang. “Even though I wasn’t caring for him we really connected. He started tearing up telling me how active he used to be and that he wanted to get back out there. He said the photos were very motivating.”
The patient was a just a few days from going home after a long hospitalization, so Quang offered him a couple photos as a gift.
“He was so gracious and appreciative,” Quang says. “Before he left, he came back and told me he’d given one to a family member, and I ended up giving him another one to keep and take home with him.”
Some of Quang's prints in the pharmacy office
Quang says the conversations made him think of the value of sharing stories with each other and staying connected to others, even during difficult times.
“I’ve been on the COVID-19 unit for the past year and a half,” he says. “It’s been tough on everyone—the physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and especially patients. It felt encouraging to see this patient preparing to get out of the hospital with a good outcome.”
Gabe Fontaine, clinical pharmacy manager, says the interaction was particularly heartwarming to him. He says, “This patient was overcome with happiness and joy simply by seeing someone who was living life the way he wanted to. He told the pharmacy crew how he planned to start living life differently, being more in tune with nature and the world around him. Then he walked off with Quang’s photos… and possibly a new perspective on life.”
Visit Quang’s website to see more of his work.