Alumnus Highlight: On the Front Line

Haley Bento posing on a hike

On the Front Line

Alumnus Highlight: Haley Bento

When Haley Bento, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist, Class of 2015, began her doctorate program she thought she would eventually become a neuro physical therapist. That all changed during her 4th and final full-time clinical experience in the University hospital cardiovascular intensive care unit, where she fell in love with acute, critical, and cardiopulmonary care.

Upon graduating Dr. Bento was offered a position with a new, ICU-only team, as part of a research study that doubled the number of PTs and OTs within the ICU to look at how increased therapy could affect patient outcomes. The results from the study were dramatic. An over 2day length of stay decrease in the ICU and an over 3-day length of stay decrease in post ICU. The additional salary paid for the new therapists was quickly offset by the cost savings of a shorter length of stay.

Haley Bento

Dr. Bento has been rather busy since that first study although it was the foundation for her research interests, teaching interests, and her love for cardio-pulmonary and critical care. Dr. Bento states things have evolved and changed a lot in the last 6 years, but her love for this practice setting has only grown. She has been part of a team that has developed their own research projects and she has published manuscripts. She has presented education sessions at state and national conferences. She is adjunct faculty here at the U and Baylor University and she has guest lectured at several other universities. Dr. Bento is passionate about increasing the acute care and critical care curriculum in various DPT programs.

Recently Dr. Bento and her team have published a study looking at ambulation for patients on continuous dialysis. This is not currently standard practice but her retrospective look at data showed that after 1500 PT sessions, 300 of which the patient ambulated in the hallway while receiving dialysis, there was no safety concern. It shows that even though someone is on continuous dialysis, it should not preclude them from the benefits of early mobility. That ambulation is a valid treatment option.

Currently, along with two other department graduates, Liz Fisk ’16 and Emma Johnson ‘16, she is looking at inspiratory muscle training for patients that have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Preliminary results are looking good!

Along with her research and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Bento has been integral in establishing the department’ s new CardioPulm and Acute Care Residencies. Colleagues and professionals around the nation began to approach Dr. Bento and Scott Ward (former department chair) about the possibility of the U having these residencies. These professionals were impressed by the name the U had made for itself. Being a leading institution for research and teaching with the perfect set up of a PT school closely linked with a Level One Trauma Center and teaching hospital. Dr. Bento is the program coordinator for both residencies and has worked closely with Misha Bradford, program director of all residency programs. Dr. Bento admits she is a little jealous of the opportunities she has set up for the incoming residents. The University of Utah is only the 10th program to have a residency in these specialty areas. “Wild West” . It is a new area of emerging research, sometimes there is no evidence to support that what they are doing is feasible. By working with medical teams to develop protocols and best practices, and daily pushing the boundaries about what is possible, they are able to support the belief that mobility is one of the best medications that can be provided. When people say it is too risky, she counters with the fact that she is well educated on many aspects of the status of a patient, including lab values and imaging, so she can look at the entire medical picture in order to make sound decisions about when it is safe to mobilize.

With a small child at home, lots of coffee helps Dr. Bento get out of bed in the morning. But once she is at work, it is the collaboration with other providers that excites and motivates her. She loves being part of the team. She learns new things every day. It is a lot of problemsolving and a lot of interdisciplinary work and at times, it is scary and challenging, but this is what keeps pushing her and why she loves it.