DFM Clinic Spotlight: A Day in the Life of Westminster

This newsroom series highlights and celebrates our DFM clinics through light-hearted and educational short stories. By showcasing each clinic through photos and interviews, the series aims to promote awareness of the important work being done by our providers and in our clinics. 

As a National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home, the UCHealth Family Medicine Westminster Clinic is recognized for improving the quality of health care, delivering scientifically recommended care, and enhancing patient outcomes. 

It’s no surprise, then, that visitors to the Westminster clinic are greeted by a celebratory sign in the waiting room: “Rising Stars in Clinical Medicine 2019–2020: Westminster Family Medicine Practice Leadership.”  This recognition highlights the clinic’s excellence in team leadership—reflected in the bright smiles and vibrant energy of its staff and providers. 

As with our other clinics, Westminster emphasizes holistic, comprehensive, patient-centered care—partnering with patients and their families to understand each individual’s unique needs. This approach spans everything from routine physicals and chronic condition management (such as diabetes or cholesterol) to integrated  behavioral health services.   

Westminster has three pods, each serving a set of providers and corresponding team of nurses and medical assistants (MA). These pods all serve a wide range of family medicine needs, including obstetrical care (OB).  

Visitors might notice the playful phrase “OB at Westy” displayed throughout the clinic—a catchy name for the free Westminster Prenatal Classes, held every second Thursday of the month for expecting and postpartum mothers. The OB team hopes to raise awareness of these classes, which cover essential topics like exercise and nutrition during pregnancy, pelvic floor physical therapy, postpartum depression, and other pregnancy-related mood disorders. 

“OB at Westy” information board and some tools used during their classes. 

The Westminster Culture 

Home to 19 providers and a unified team spirit, Westminster Family Medicine delivers care with pride, purpose, and a vibrant energy that patients feel the moment they walk in. 

Denver Hager, DO, Senior Instructor and Family Medicine physician for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado, emphasized that the Westminster culture and atmosphere is noticed by the patients. “We have a really great team here. Patients consistently tell me that our staff makes them feel welcome and cared for. I feel like the culture is one in which we really care about the patients we see.” 

Throughout each pod, exam hallway, and nurse station, vibrant posters proudly celebrate the clinic’s dedicated nurses, staff, and providers. These displays highlight monthly birthdays, welcome new team members, and recognize outstanding contributions—such as the “Nurse of the Month.” As well as one particularly charming board, inspired by the TV show Friends, reads: “The one where you get recognized.”  

Team recognition board with a fun Friends twist.

Sonja Stanley, Supervisor of Clinical Office Operations, looks forward to the holiday season as she shares some of the clinic’s cherished traditions. “Through every birth, surgery, loss, and goodbye, we’ve built a tradition of showing up for one another. And each Halloween, our ‘Trick or Trunk’ event brings joy and connection as we celebrate with the youngest members of our extended team family.”  

Get to Know Some Faces of Westminster: 

The Westminster clinic is home to a dynamic team of providers and staff. While we can’t feature every team member, we’re proud to highlight Denver Hager, DO, and Sonja Stanley—whose smiles and energy perfectly capture the spirit of Westminster.  

Denver Hager, DO: Senior Instructor and Family Medicine physician for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado. Dr. Hager has been with the Westminster team for two years. His clinical interests include preventative medicine, Osteopathic manipulative medicine, integrative medicine, LGBTQ+ health, chronic pain, autoimmune disease, and cardiac disease. 

• What’s one of your favorite aspects of your role as a Family Medicine provider?  

“I love getting to have a longitudinal relationship with patients, to cultivate trust and collaboration over time. The team at Westminster has been very supportive of me in making Osteopathic manipulation a big part of my practice and that has been really rewarding.” 

• What inspired you to pursue a career in Family Medicine or healthcare?  

“I knew I wanted continuity of care and during specialty rotations found it difficult to not want to interact with every part of a person’s health. I found that I couldn’t ‘defer to primary,’ I needed to be involved in all of it!” 

• How would you describe the culture of your clinic or team?  

“We have a really great team here. Patients consistently tell me that our staff makes them feel welcome and cared for. I feel like the culture is one in which we really care about the patients we see.” 

• Is there a tradition or routine in your clinic that you really enjoy or find amusing?  

“During October we have a Halloween tradition where you sign up secretly to ‘Boo’ someone's desk. We really go all out with decorations and treats. It’s always a fun surprise when you find your desk transformed into a spooky scene.” 

• What’s one thing you’d like other DFM clinics to know about your location that they might not be aware of?  

“We’ve got a really eclectic team here! Many of our providers do prenatal care and we do a wide variety of procedures. Everybody seems to have carved out a nice niche in our clinic.”

Sonja Stanley: Supervisor Clinical Office Operations. (UC Health Staff that supports Westminster.) Sonja has been a “proud member” of the Westminster team since 2002. Her role as a supervisor includes overseeing front desk operations and managing provider schedules.

• What’s one of your favorite aspects of your role?   

“The best part of my role? Watching my team succeed and hearing kind words from patients about how well the front desk team treats them.” 

• What inspired you to pursue a career in Family Medicine or healthcare?   

“I applied for a position at UCHealth during a pivotal moment in my life, and I truly believe a guardian angel was guiding me toward the opportunity at the Boulder Clinic. Since then, I've held four different roles within UCHealth, each one shaping my journey and ultimately leading me to Westminster in 2002.” 

• Can you share a special or proud moment you’ve had recently—whether it’s patient-related, career-related, or something specific to the clinic?     

“I've gotten to know a handful of patients from Boulder who now come to the Westminster Clinic. It truly warms my heart when they walk in and ask for me by name.”            

• How would you describe the culture of your clinic or team?  

“I would describe our culture as having an ebb and flow—mostly positive, with occasional challenges. Through it all, we consistently emerge stronger and more united as a team.” 

• Is there a tradition or routine in your clinic that you really enjoy or find amusing?   

“Through every birth, surgery, loss, and goodbye, we’ve built a tradition of showing up for one another. And each Halloween, our ‘Trick or Trunk’ event brings joy and connection as we celebrate with the youngest members of our extended team family.” 

• What’s one thing you’d like other DFM clinics to know about your location that they might not be aware of? (Maybe a motto, fun fact, or a funny story?)   

“We're in a great spot between Denver and Boulder, and we've grown tremendously—from 10 rooms and one provider to 14 rooms and [19] providers. We've added behavioral health, embraced telehealth during COVID, and watched the area transform from dirt lots to a thriving community. We've had some unforgettable moments too—like a baby delivered in the parking lot and a car crashing into the front of the building. Through it all, we've stayed strong and resilient.” 

Thank you to the UCHealth Family Medicine Westminster team for giving us an inside look into the daily life of their clinic! It’s amazing to see how your traditions, teamwork, and commitment to holistic patient care make every visitor feel welcomed and genuinely cared for.  

Outside of the Westminster building.

Entrance of the Westminster Clinic.

DFM Awards Poster.

The reception desk.

Dr. Vivian Jiang—who leads the OB team—and Jenn Pittman, RN. 

Nurse station and clinical workspace.

Office Supervisors.

Pod 1 area.

Pod 2 MAs.

Pod 3.

The pod 3 team who are proud of their plants they have in their area.

Clinic Highlight board.

"Nurse of the day" board.

Exam Hallway.

Exam room.

Behavioral Health room.

Conference room.

“OB at Westy” information board and some tools used during their classes. 

The Westminster team group photo.

The Westminster team group photo.