Why Hannah Martin traveled 1,600 miles for surgery at Cache Valley Hospital

Why a Familiar Name Made All the Difference

When Hannah Martin was told she needed a hip replacement, she started her search for care in Michigan, where she had recently moved. But after one disappointing consult, she knew she needed something different—something and someone she could trust. That’s when a friend recommended Dr. Keith Nelson at Cache Valley Hospital.

Despite living over 1,600 miles away, Hannah decided to fly back to Utah for the procedure. “I knew Cache Valley Hospital from my daughter’s past surgeries, and I was great with that,” she said. “It just felt like the right thing to do.” What followed was an experience rooted in familiarity, compassion, and the kind of personal care that made every mile worth it.

A Decision That Spanned a Continent

Hannah had plenty of options for surgery. Living in Michigan, she was surrounded by specialists—more than 150 orthopedic surgeons were available within reach. Despite the convenience and accessibility, nothing felt quite right. “I just couldn’t find the right fit. I needed to feel confident in who was going to be doing this,” she said.

That sense of confidence didn’t come from local searches—it came from her memories. Hannah lived in Preston, Idaho – just north of Logan, Utah – for nearly five years. During that time, her daughter had undergone multiple surgeries at Cache Valley Hospital. “She had four ear surgeries there with Dr. Zachary Robinett,” Hannah said. “And I remembered the care, the professionalism, and just how personal everything felt.”

Around the same time, a close friend from Idaho encouraged Hannah to consider returning to the area. “She told me, ‘You really need to come out here and have my doctor do it,’” Hannah recalled. Her friend had recently undergone a successful hip replacement with Dr. Nelson and recommended him without hesitation. “She was so happy with how it went. It gave me the push I needed,” Hannah added.

Making surgery arrangements from across the country wasn’t simple. Hannah ran into a few dead ends while trying to coordinate care from Michigan. But eventually, the team took on her case. She would be returning to Cache Valley Hospital to have surgery performed.

That was the moment everything clicked. “I was great with that,” Hannah said. “I knew Cache Valley Hospital. I knew what I was walking into.”

The idea of flying more than 1,600 miles for surgery might seem daunting, but to Hannah, it felt like a return to something familiar. “It wasn’t just about the surgery—it was about knowing I’d be treated like a person, not a number,” she said. “There’s a homey atmosphere there. The check-in process, the staff, the way they talk to you—it’s all so personal. Everyone knows each other.”

Hannah flew out with her husband, and they stayed with family in Brigham City during her recovery. Not only was she able to focus on healing, but she also got the chance to reconnect with her children and grandchildren. “Being surrounded by family made it so much easier,” she said. “It turned what could’ve been a stressful experience into something really meaningful.”

Looking back, Hannah has no doubt she made the right call. “I had complete trust in Dr. Nelson and the team at Cache Valley,” she said. “I just knew I was in good hands.”

For Hannah, choosing to return to Cache Valley Hospital wasn’t about distance. It was about trust. And that made every mile worth it.

Personal Care, Every Step of the Way

Hannah flew to Utah just days before her surgery. On January 28 – the day before the procedure – she met Dr. Nelson in person for the first time. “Meeting your surgeon a day before surgery might sound a little strange,” she said with a laugh, “but it didn’t feel that way at all. Everything just clicked.”

From her first steps through the hospital doors, the experience felt familiar—and refreshingly personal. “The thing I love about Cache Valley Hospital is that it’s not overwhelming,” Hannah explained. “You’re not walking into some massive medical building wondering where to go. Everyone’s right there to help. It feels warm and comfortable.”

That sense of calm continued the next morning when she arrived for the procedure. The nurse who greeted her had worked with Dr. Nelson for more than two decades. “She knew him well, and that gave me so much peace,” Hannah said. “It’s like everyone knew each other—and they all cared about me. It didn’t feel like I was just another name on a list.”

The check-in process was seamless. Paperwork was handled quickly, and every staff member took time to answer her questions. “There wasn’t a single glitch,” she recalled. “It just flowed. And that made all the difference when you’re about to have a major surgery.”

After her procedure, Hannah awoke in recovery feeling relieved—and grateful. Her request going into surgery had been clear: if everything went well, she hoped to recover at home with family that same evening. “I wanted to rest and heal where I was staying,” she said. “I felt like if I could get home while everything was still numb and manageable, that would be best.”

The care team honored her request, keeping her informed throughout the process. Once she was out of recovery, she was transferred to a room where physical therapy quickly stepped in to get her moving. “They had me up and walking not long after surgery,” she said. “And that was so encouraging. It let me know things were going in the right direction.”

As she waited to be discharged, nurses brought her a warm dinner and made sure she had everything she needed. One moment stood out in particular: when it came time to review her post-operative medications, her nurse noticed that there wasn’t a printed list available. Instead of brushing it off, she made a few calls and hand-wrote everything out to ensure Hannah had clear instructions.

“She went above and beyond,” Hannah said. “She didn’t just hand me paperwork—she made sure I understood what I needed and when I needed it.”

That level of care—intentional, personal, and thorough—left a lasting impression. “I’ve been to other hospitals, and this isn’t always how it goes,” she said. “At Cache Valley, I felt seen, heard, and supported every single step of the way.”

For Hannah, that day wasn’t just about a successful surgery—it was a reminder of why she came back.

Recovery, Reflection and a Return in the Future

Before flying back to Michigan, Hannah had one last thing on her mind—stopping by to thank someone who had helped her through another journey years before: Terri Baker, Cache Valley Hospital’s financial counselor. Hannah had worked with Terri during her daughter’s previous surgeries and remembered the care and professionalism that made the billing process feel personal, not transactional.

“The moment I heard her voice, I knew it was the same person I had worked with before. I remembered her right away,” she said. “She was just the nicest person to work with and she was just as kind and helpful as I remembered.”

Hannah continued, “[Terri] made everything feel easier and more personal. That kind of connection is rare, and it stuck with me.”

A few days later, Hannah boarded a flight back to Michigan. Though recovery can be unpredictable, her healing has been steady and encouraging. “By the time we flew home, I was walking most of the time without a cane,” she said. “We used a wheelchair in the airport just to make the journey easier, and honestly—it was the right call.”

She followed her care team’s advice closely, moving regularly, wearing compression socks, and staying mindful of how her body responded. It paid off. “There was no major pain, no complications. I was tired, but I felt really good about how everything went,” she said.

Since returning home, Hannah’s been making the most of her progress. “I used to love walking but last summer, I had to stop completely because of the pain,” she said. “Now, I’m walking a mile and a half, sometimes two—with hardly any pain at all. It’s amazing.”

She enjoys getting outdoors, working in her flower beds, riding her bike, and slowly easing back into the things that once brought her joy. “I’ve missed being active,” she said. “This surgery gave that back to me.”

Although Hannah understands she’ll eventually need her other hip replaced, there’s no question in her mind about where she’ll go when the time comes. “I told Dr. Nelson, ‘Don’t you retire before I need the next one,’” she said with a smile. “Because I’m not going anywhere else.”

The journey, from surgery preparation to walking pain-free again, reaffirmed everything she already believed about Cache Valley Hospital: it’s a place where patients feel seen, valued, and genuinely cared for.

“If you need surgery—if you want good doctors and good nurses—go to Cache Valley Hospital. That’s where I’ll go again, and that’s where I want to see others go too.”

…and that’s why I say, Take Me to Cache Valley Hospital.