Intermountain Trustee AN EMAIL BRIEFING FOR INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTHCARE TRUSTEES

June 2019

INTERMOUNTAIN INITIATIVES

Intermountain to acquire HealthCare Partners Nevada Acquisition will further Intermountain’s mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible

Intermountain announced Wednesday, June 19, that it’s reached an agreement to acquire HealthCare Partners Nevada, headquartered in Las Vegas. The acquisition will take place by July 2019 and brings together two organizations focused on keeping people healthy and providing high-value care that’s accessible and affordable.

HealthCare Partners Nevada is a leading physician group that has 1,800 employees—including about 340 physicians and advanced practice providers. The group owns and operates 55 clinics, 23 of which are MyGen clinics recognized for exceptional value-based care for seniors. HealthCare Partners Nevada and its affiliate network provide patient-centered primary, specialty, and urgent care services to approximately 350,000 people.

Why we’re joining together. Intermountain and HealthCare Partners Nevada have had success in using value-based care models that lead to better overall health and keeping costs lower. By combining HealthCare Partners Nevada’s strengths with Intermountain’s stability and long- standing, proven successes in clinical excellence and innovation, Intermountain will further our mission of helping even more people live the healthiest lives possible.

“We’re excited to join with HealthCare Partners Nevada,” said Marc Harrison, MD, Intermountain CEO. “Both organizations are like-minded and share a commitment to keeping people well and providing the communities we serve with high-quality, value-based care. We’ll combine unique strengths to provide extraordinary health services to patients.”

HealthCare Partners Nevada will continue to lead its operations and patient care. The work of HealthCare Partners Nevada providers and employees (known as teammates) will continue largely unchanged. They’ll be led by Mark Price, who currently serves as president of HealthCare Partners Nevada. Price will report to Rajesh Shrestha, Intermountain’s Community-Based Care chief operating officer, who will have overall accountability of the business. “Intermountain and HealthCare Partners Nevada desire the same thing—to provide great access to the highest quality care at an affordable cost,” said Price. “This is great news for our teams and southern Nevada.”

Intermountain’s operations in our current service areas won’t change. The work of providers, leaders, and caregivers in Utah, Idaho, and other areas remains the same—focusing on our patients and services in those communities.

Intermountain, deCODE genetics launch groundbreaking DNA study Initiative represents largest DNA mapping effort to date in the U.S. from a single population

Intermountain Healthcare and deCODE genetics have announced a major global collaboration and study focused on discovering new connections between genetics and human disease that will involve the collection of half a million DNA samples.

The initiative, called the HerediGene: Population Study, represents the largest and most comprehensive DNA mapping effort to date in the United States from a single population. For the study, which is voluntary and free to participants, Intermountain teams will work with deCODE to analyze the genomes of 500,000 people from Intermountain’s patient population, primarily in Utah and Idaho. deCODE Genetics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amgen based in Reykjavik, Iceland. The collaborative effort combines Intermountain’s internationally-recognized expertise in precision medicine and clinical care with deCODE’s world-class expertise in human population genetics.

“While the 500,000 samples will be collected primarily from patients in Utah, the research is expected to have a global impact as medications, treatments, and healthcare innovations that can benefit patients universally are developed from the findings,” said Lincoln Nadauld, MD, PhD, Intermountain’s chief of precision health. “The collaboration is noteworthy and unique in its size, scope, and immediate application to patient care.”

Participants in the study will consent to the testing and have the option to receive their genetic results report, if a clinically significant gene mutation is identified. The data will be de-identified to ensure anonymity before it is utilized in research to help medical professionals better understand the human genome, which will enhance their ability to predict and prevent diseases such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and heart disease.

“This unique collaboration is expected to uncover new insights into some of society’s most debilitating diseases,” noted Kári Stefánsson, MD, Dr. Med., founder and chief executive officer of deCODE genetics. “Our partnership with Intermountain Healthcare is important as we continue to identify and validate human disease targets. These potential discoveries will allow deCODE and Amgen to rapidly develop new medicines that reach the right disease targets.”

Intermountain will leverage its renowned precision genomics efforts to improve patient outcomes and transform medicine. Intermountain’s precision medicine team analyzes individual differences in genetics, environments, and lifestyles and helps medical professionals specifically target the illnesses of each patient and identify the treatments that will best help them. “Better health and being able to cure common diseases is the promise of precision medicine, but it’s not happening fast enough,” said Marc Harrison, MD, president and chief executive officer at Intermountain Healthcare. “For too long, the genetic code to better health has been locked. This collaboration with deCODE unlocks that insight so we can rapidly advance well- being—not only for ourselves and our families, but for generations to come.”

Insights from the collaboration may power fundamental changes to better understand the human genome, improve health, and prevent common diseases.

UPDATES AND FEATURES

Civica Rx, Xellia Pharmaceuticals partner to provide antibiotics Xellia will manufacture essential antibiotics for Civica’s member health systems

Civica Rx and Xellia Pharmaceuticals have signed a product supply agreement by which Xellia will manufacture essential antibiotics, including vancomycin and daptomycin, for Civica’s member health systems. Shortages of anti-infection medications are impacting patient care in hospitals across the United States.

This is the first time Lehi-based Civica has announced the production of generic drugs—and the initial medications to be supplied—since the company was established to address chronic drug shortages. The company has committed to partnering with suppliers to deliver 14 essential generic medications this year.

Civica Rx was first envisioned by Dan Liljenquist, Intermountain’s senior vice president and chief strategy officer. Intermountain served as the incubator and provided infrastructure support until Civica Rx could be launched with start-up contributions from health systems across the country.

Xellia, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, is expanding its manufacturing and sales capabilities within the U.S. The company produces its own active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as finished injectable drug products for serious and often life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections.

“We thank Xellia for helping to lead the way in efforts to reduce chronic generic drug shortages in the U.S., including treatments for serious infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to other antibiotics,” said Martin VanTrieste, CEO of Civica. “By helping to stabilize the supply of vancomycin and daptomycin, we’ll have a direct impact on patient safety and public health by providing consistent access to antibiotics that are important treatment options in the management of difficult-to-treat and life-threatening infections.”

The partnership with Xellia will help hospitals avoid drug shortages and enable the supply security Civica and its member health systems are seeking.

“We’re honored to work with Civica, an innovator in addressing generic drug shortages,” said Carl-Aake Carlsson, CEO of Xellia Pharmaceuticals. “Our collaboration also supports Xellia’s long-term ambition of mitigating anti-infective drug shortages across the U.S.” Telehealth featured in Harvard Business Review Benefits of telehealth services highlighted in publication

Intermountain is improving healthcare in rural communities with the help of telehealth services, which helps care providers in smaller healthcare facilities connect with specialists in large hospitals. That’s the message Intermountain CEO Marc Harrison, MD, shared in a recent guest article published in the Harvard Business Review. Here’s a summary of what he said.

“The patient receives expert treatment locally without the added risk and cost of a transfer to a bigger hospital,” Dr. Harrison wrote. “Local hospitals retain vital revenue and enhance their services. Community members get better care that’s based on evidence-based best practices. Healthcare is better overall.”

In addition to serving Intermountain’s rural hospitals, Dr. Harrison said Intermountain’s Connect Care Pro operation provides 40 telehealth services in seven western states.

Benefits of telehealth Dr. Harrison shared with theHarvard Business Review:

• A significant decrease in unnecessary emergency room and urgent care utilization. “Sixty-two percent of patients who utilized Intermountain Connect Care reported they would’ve otherwise accessed care at an emergency room or urgent care clinic,” Dr. Harrison said. • Decreased mortality and length of stay in our ICUs. • Improved door-to-needle time for stroke patients. • Decreased evaluation time for mental health patients in crisis. • Avoidance of unnecessary and costly patient transfers for newborn and ICU patients. • Standardization of care and a pathway to constant learning for caregivers. • Help meeting federally mandated antibiotic stewardship guidelines.

Dr. Harrison said telehealth can improve access to care anywhere, not just in rural areas. But he said the biggest challenge to spreading programs like ours across the country is making the model financially viable.

“Payment policies and reimbursement models need to catch up with this major advance in healthcare technology and delivery, which works best in a pre-paid, or capitation, model vs. a fee-for-volume scenario,” Dr. Harrison said. “There’s discussion in Washington, D.C., about creating parity in payment so care providers would be paid the same for a digital visit as for an in-person visit. But so far only limited telehealth services are being covered by the federal government and other payers.”

Read the full article here. Intermountain 2018 annual report now available Report to the community highlights patient experiences, advances in medical science, and more

The stories we hear and see in healthcare are compelling and inspiring. At Intermountain, we have the privilege of being part of people’s stories, often in very intimate ways. The 2018 Intermountain Healthcare annual report shares a collection of stories and experiences we were honored to hear and, in most cases, be a part of last year. Explore the report online.

Intermountain encouraging reading to children Children can receive age-appropriate books during doctor visits

Intermountain has partnered with the Reach Out and Read program to promote reading between parents or caregivers and children as part of pediatric check-ups. Caregivers at Intermountain pediatric and family medicine clinics are giving age-appropriate books to children during doctor visits, along with teaching parents how to read to children in a nurturing way.

There are 39 participating locations:

• Alta View • Kaysville Creek • Redrock • Bear River • Kearns • Saratoga Springs • Bountiful • Layton Parkway • School and Community • Bryner • Logan • Sevier Valley • Budge • Manti • South Cache • Central Orem • Memorial • South Ogden • Cottonwood • Moroni • Southridge • Ephraim • Mt. Pleasant • Sunset • Fillmore • North Cache • Utah Valley • Gappemeyer • North Sevier • West Valley • Heber • North Valley AF • White Sage • Hillcrest • Northern Utah • Budge Family Medicine • Holladay • Payson • Highland Family Medicine

Intermountain is also looking for additional ways to help children discover the joy of reading. For example, Mikelle Moore, senior vice president and chief community health officer, recently visited first graders at James Madison Elementary in Ogden and read to them the book “A Bad Case of Stripes” by David Shannon. All the first graders also received a copy of the book.

More than 15 peer-reviewed studies show consistent findings: Reach Out and Read is an important part of empowering children to live the healthiest lives possible. Some specific results of the program:

• Increased child language development, literacy, and school readiness • Increased resiliency, or the ability for children to overcome challenging life experiences such as poverty, neglect, and exposure to violence • Improved relationships between parents and children

Funding for the Reach Out and Read program at Intermountain comes from contributions by medical providers for their own clinics as well as charitable contributions from the community. You can help by making contributions to the Intermountain Foundation’s Reach Out and Read fund. ACCESS

How Intermountain is making care more affordable for patients Innovation, efficiency, and other efforts result in savings

Intermountain is focused on improving value to patients and people in our communities—providing best quality along with efficiency—and reducing costs to make care more affordable. The hard work and innovation of caregivers across the system is resulting in millions of dollars in savings.

“We’re taking savings and returning it with improved affordability for patients and our community,” said Rob Allen, Intermountain’s senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Here are 10 examples from Allen of how savings are being passed on to Intermountain’s patients:

1. Lower annual health plan rate increases. Intermountain reduced our annual rate increase on our set prices for services by $15 million in 2019. 2. Improved efficiency. We’re improving efficiency, eliminating redundancy, and focusing our efforts on what makes a difference for our patients across Intermountain. 3. Lower-cost care settings. Intermountain is reducing unnecessary emergency department visits by increasing access to appropriate care in lower-cost settings such as InstaCare, physician offices, and Connect Care. 4. Lower individual premiums. We reduced SelectHealth individual plan premiums by 2.7 percent in 2019, a $27 million reduction from 2018 premium rates. 5. Affordable SelectHealth Share premiums. Intermountain guarantees a premium rate increase for new SelectHealth Share clients of only 2.5 percent in years two and three of a three-year contract. For current clients, the guaranteed premium rate increase is only 2 percent for all three years. This compares to an industry-wide premium increase of more than 5 percent. 6. Stork Savers program. Intermountain offers a lower-cost cash price to patients without health insurance for mom and baby care associated with uncomplicated births. 7. New pricing program for shoppable procedures. In 2019 and 2020, Intermountain is rolling out lower pricing for several dozen inpatient and outpatient services our consumers commonly use and seek pricing quotes for, such as delivering babies, imaging procedures, and colonoscopies. These lower prices will result in a $65 million reduction in payments to Intermountain—$55 million less from payers and $10 million less from patients. 8. Supply initiatives. Intermountain has a set ratio of what we pay and what we charge patients for supplies and drugs. When we reduce our costs, we can directly lower charges to patients for those items. In 2018, we negotiated better prices on supplies, resulting in more than $32 million in cost savings. 9. Financial assistance. Beginning in 2018, our efforts to improve affordability allowed us to expand financial assistance to cover needed health services for families with income levels up to 200 percent of the national poverty level. 10. Caregiver ideas. Intermountain caregivers implemented nearly 49,000 continuous improvement ideas in 2018—that’s more than 130 ideas each day. Many of these ideas both improve quality and reduce expenses. One Intermountain improves care One Intermountain structure allows more savings, efficiency, and improved care

Intermountain continues to make care more accessible and affordable. Here are two examples.

Because of One Intermountain, it’s now easier for patients to get an appointment with Intermountain Rehabilitation Services, even if they want to see a therapist outside of regular business hours. Rehabilitation has expanded the number of appointments it offers before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. by 8.5 percent this year, making an average of 150 more clinic hours available to patients each month, according to Kameron Kieffer, executive operations director, system of Rehabilitation Services. The expanded-hour appointments are popular with patients and usually fill up quickly.

Soon after Rehabilitation Services was restructured in October 2018, the team learned some patients were frustrated with how long it took to get an appointment. The wait could be a couple of weeks or, in the case of some specialties, up to six weeks. Referring providers also wanted to get their patients in sooner, Kieffer said.

Kieffer and Cara Camiolo, MD, medical director for Rehabilitations Services, set a goal to address the access issue. They asked the team at each clinic to figure out what they could do to increase the number of patient appointment times. Instead of imposing a top-down mandate for each clinic, Kieffer said each clinic was invited to create their own plan based on local circumstances.

Here’s an example of one clinic’s success. The Rehabilitation Services team at Alta View Hospital discussed what they could do to expand access at their clinic, according to Derick Woolf, the rehabilitation manager there. Together, the team decided to change the hours caregivers worked so they could offer more appointments outside of regular business hours. The clinic went from 37 hours of appointment times available before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. up to 48 hours.

“We knew that, from a patient’s perspective, they weren’t getting the care they needed, when and where they needed it, so we decided to focus on that,” Kieffer said.

Kieffer said the focus of Rehabilitation Services across the system has been and will continue to be on how to better meet the needs of patients.

Thanks to providers and caregivers across the system working together as One Intermountain, the number of hysterectomies performed last year was reduced by 12.5 percent. Focusing on evidence-based standards of care and the utilization of non-surgical modalities resulted in the reduction.

A hysterectomy, a common surgical procedure that removes a woman’s uterus, is a major surgery and the conditions leading to it can often be treated by alternative treatments. Intermountain’s Women and Newborn Clinical Program set a goal last year to reduce the number of hysterectomies performed at Intermountain and provide less invasive alternative therapies instead.

“Providing women with alternative treatments helps them recover faster, have less pain, and saves them a lot of money,” said Kristi Nelson, clinical improvement leader for the Women and Newborn Clinical Program.

Nelson worked alongside Sara Jane Pieper, MD, a Medical Group gynecologist and former medical director of the Gynecology Development Team, to set a 2018 systemwide goal for reducing hysterectomies. They used SelectHealth data from 2017 that demonstrated Intermountain’s hysterectomy rate was nearly double the national average, and 60 percent of women having a hysterectomy for abnormal uterine bleeding had no prior medical intervention prior to surgery.

To implement the goal, the Women and Newborns Clinical Program and the Gynecology Development Team updated a care process model to follow national evidence-based standards of care for abnormal uterine bleeding and medical management options. They also worked with SelectHealth to change preauthorization criteria for hysterectomies. A team of physicians from across the system participated in the committee that led the change.

“The 2018 systemwide goal was to reduce hysterectomies in women with a diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding by 6.5 percent, and we surpassed it, achieving a 12.5 percent reduction,” said Nelson. “We reached the goal by focusing on evidence-based standards of care and utilization of non-surgical modalities.”

EVENTS AND RECOGNITION

Save the date: Intermountain Trustee Forum scheduled for Friday, November 15 Board Chair Gail Miller invites all trustees to attend interactive discussions

Intermountain’s Trustee Forum will be Friday, November 15, at the City Creek Marriott in downtown Salt Lake City. This will be an opportunity to have an interactive discussion with fellow trustees and Intermountain leadership—to hear about your successes, your challenges, and how we can help with the important work you’re doing on your boards and in your communities.

Please watch for your invitation and registration form in September.

We hope you’ll join us for this engaging and informative networking opportunity. So please mark this date in your calendar today!

Intermountain, SelectHealth participate in Utah Pride Festival Intermountain, SelectHealth the event’s official medical sponsor

Intermountain and SelectHealth participated in the annual Utah Pride Festival on June 1 and 2 as the event’s official medical sponsor.

Organized by the LGBTQ Caregiver Resource Group with the theme “Take Pride in Your Health,” Intermountain’s and SelectHealth’s sponsorship gave 380 caregiver volunteers a chance to participate in the festival’s events. Events included the Pride Parade, OUTdoor & Proud 5K, medical tents throughout the celebrations, water stations, and a festival booth. The SelectHealth wellness team completed 257 wellness exams to help address health disparities in the LGBTQ community. Caregivers also offered behavioral health screenings, shared recruitment opportunities, and connected people with insurance resources.

“A caregiver recently shared with me, ‘Diversity invites diversity,’” said Intermountain’s CEO Marc Harrison, MD. “Working together, our diverse experiences empower us to fulfill our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible. I’m proud that our community at Intermountain continues to serve everyone and invites everyone to serve.”

Dr. Marc Harrison receives 2019 National TRUST Award Honor given by American Hospital Association Center for Health Innovation

The American Hospital Association Center for Health Innovation has announced Intermountain Healthcare’s President and CEO Marc Harrison, MD, as the recipient of the 2019 TRUST Award.

The prestigious national award is given to individuals who have exhibited visionary leadership in the healthcare field and symbolize AHA’s vision of helping to contribute to a society of healthy communities where everyone reaches their highest potential for health.

In announcing the award, the AHA highlighted the major strides Intermountain has made under Dr. Harrison’s leadership in delivering value-based care, and the innovations being made to help people stay healthy.

“On behalf of Intermountain, we want to thank the American Hospital Association for this award that recognizes our caregivers’ outstanding service to our patients and communities,” said Dr. Harrison. “The innovations we’re making in healthcare wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and forward thinking of our caregivers.”

Recently, Intermountain led the establishment of the Utah Alliance for the Determinants of Health, a collaboration designed to proactively address factors affecting community health such as chronic hunger, affordable housing, joblessness and personal safety. The system also played a significant leadership role in the development ofCivica Rx, the first of its kind, not-for-profit generic drug company, aiming to lower costs and avoid shortages of generic drugs for hospitals around the country.

“Dr. Harrison’s outstanding work as a physician, health system leader, and health care innovator exemplifies the visionary leadership that the TRUST Award recognizes,” said Jay Bhatt, DO, AHA’s senior vice president and chief medical officer. During challenging times in our field, he is building strategic partnerships and leading initiatives that are redefining value-based care and improving the health of individuals and communities.” Intermountain named a Top Place to Work in Healthcare Recognition given by Becker’s Hospital Review

For the seventh year in a row Intermountain Healthcare has been named a Top Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review.

The annual publication names the top hospitals, health systems, and healthcare companies that “promote diversity within the workforce, employee engagement, and professional growth.” Of the 150 organizations included in this year’s edition, 107 are hospitals or health systems.

Becker’s editorial team was specifically impressed with Intermountain’s competitive benefits package, caregiver self-help resources, and tuition reimbursement programming.

“The best places to work combine hard working and engaged employees with a strong, mission-driven culture,” said Heather Brace, senior VP and chief people officer. “I am proud to be part of an organization that focuses so much on providing safe and rewarding experiences for our caregivers. Thank you to all of you for making Intermountain one of the top places to work in healthcare!”

Caregivers honored at UHIMSS Summit Two CTIS caregivers receive awards at annual event

Two Intermountain Care Transformation Information Services caregivers were recently honored by the Utah Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (UHIMSS).

Marc Probst, chief information officer, was named Healthcare Tech Leader of the Year, and Seraphine Kapsandoy PhD, RN, chief clinical information officer, was named Clinical Leader of the Year. The awards were presented as part of the society’s recent annual conference.

Thirty years of influence

“Marc Probst has been a leader in Information Technology and Healthcare Systems for 30 years,” UHIMSS reported. “[He] has significant interest in using information technology to both increase patient care quality and lower the cost of care.”

According to UHIMSS, a colleague described Probst as a strong leader with a clear, keen mind. “His leadership has been key in keeping Intermountain Healthcare at the leading edge of healthcare technology solutions,” they said.

‘Inspiring all those around her’

Saraphine Kapsandoy impressed UHIMSS with her success across multiple departments and drive to support healthcare-leading technology. Her background as a nurse also resonated with presenters. “With a strong clinical care background and advanced healthcare education, [Saraphine] is incredibly skilled to deliver projects that support improved quality of care, data integrity, enhanced security and regulatory compliance,” UHIMSS said. “She also serves on the Board of the Women’s World Health Initiative and inspires all those around her.

Kapsandoy’s influence extends to her Intermountain colleagues. Following her recognition, a fellow caregiver said the following: “For me personally, during an incredibly challenging period of reorganization, [she] provided a level of personalized leadership and mentorship unsurpassed in my almost 20-year clinical career,”

When asked what advice she would provide to women looking to make their mark in tech, she replied “Be strong, know yourself, know your value.”

Intermountain named 2019 Shatter recipient Intermountain honored for female-friendly workplace practices

Intermountain has been named to the 2019 Shatter List, an annual collection of Utah companies creating inclusive, empowering cultures for female workers, specifically in technology.

The annual award is presented by the Women Tech Council (WTC) to local businesses accelerating the removal of the glass ceiling, the intangible barrier preventing women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions. Intermountain and 45 other organizations were lauded for implementing holistic, organization-wide practices to create atmospheres where women can contribute and succeed.

“Shattering technology’s glass ceiling requires companies to … be actively engaged in creating cultures that expect and demand inclusivity,” said Cydni Tetro, WTC president. “This list accelerates the [our] journey to increase the number of women in technology and break our own glass ceiling.”

Suzie Draper, vice president of business ethics and compliance, received the award on behalf of Intermountain.

LiVe Well honored by Utah Worksite Wellness Council Caregiver program honored with 2019 Healthy Worksite Award

Intermountain has received the 2019 Healthy Worksite Award, platinum level, from the Utah Worksite Wellness Council. The council is a partnership of organizations from throughout the state that work together to build effective worksite wellness programs to improve the health of employees. The council says Intermountain achieved the award because of our “effective, result- oriented, and innovative” LiVe Well program. The award recognizes employers for exemplary work in worksite wellness. It rates employers on:

• Organizational wellness • Social wellness • Physical wellness • Financial wellness • Emotional wellness • Community wellness

Companies can qualify for bronze, silver, gold, or platinum level Healthy Worksite Award recognition based on how well they’ve implemented evidence-based health promotion interventions and strategies. Platinum is the top level and is given to organizations that forge new ground by linking health promotion objectives to business outcomes. To achieve the platinum level, Intermountain needed a score of 90 percent or better on our assessment—and our LiVe Well program earned 95 percent.

“I’m happy to accept this award on behalf of all Intermountain caregivers who are working hard to live a little healthier each day,” said Terri Flint, PhD, retired director of caregiver wellness. “It’s amazing to see and hear all the stories of how LiVe Well changes lives.”

Caregivers honored with 2019 Nursing Excellence awards Winners nominated by peers for exemplifying Intermountain’s nursing philosophy

Seventy-five outstanding nurses from across Intermountain have received the 2019 Nursing Excellence Award. The winners were nominated by their peers for exemplifying Intermountain’s nursing philosophy and providing safe, clinically excellent, and compassionate care for patients, families, and coworkers. They were selected by their nursing leaders from more than 300 nominations. They were recognized at an awards luncheon June 4 in Salt Lake City.

Sue Robel, Intermountain’s senior vice president of clinical operations and chief nursing executive, said, “Nursing is a profession that’s fulfilling and rewarding when you consider the impact nurses have on people’s lives. I’ve had the opportunity to meet great caregivers and leaders here at Intermountain. You can sense their desire to do what’s best for patients, and our leaders really care about our caregivers.”

Mark Briesacher, MD, Intermountain’s senior vice president and chief physician executive, said that in addition to what nurses do each day to keep our patients safe, they also provide exceptional emotional care. “This work is extremely important to the patients and their families who trust us with their health and well-being,” Dr. Briesacher said. “Nurses are experts in caring for the whole person as they help patients and their families go through the amazing, joyful moments in life, and also the very hard moments. Physicians, advanced-practice providers, and nurses—we’re a team, we count on each other, and together we do amazing things for people.”

Robel says her vision for nursing at Intermountain is for all nurses to work as a team regardless of their location. “With a One Intermountain approach to nursing, we work together no matter where our nurses are. We share and celebrate together. We also learn from each other and build a foundation around our work.” KSL Give-A-Thon raises almost $5 million to support patients Funds raised support children at Primary Children’s Hospital

The KSL Give-A-Thon raised $488,711 in donations from generous community members and celebrated an additional $4.48 million in donations from corporate partners’ fundraising campaigns, which resulted in a total of $4,968,711 to support children at Primary Children’s Hospital.

The annual KSL Give-A-Thon, which was May 21, is a media fundraising event that this year featured 14 brave patients, their families, and Intermountain caregivers who shared their stories and inspired listeners across the region to give back. KSL and Alpha Media stations broadcasted 11 hours of airtime on television and radio and staffed a phone bank for 17 hours with volunteers including caregivers, Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals soccer players, corporate donors, and other community members committed to Primary Children’s Hospital.

Intermountain in the news Recent news stories about Intermountain in the national and international media

Healthcare Finance, May 3, 2019: Induced labor not more expensive to healthcare system than spontaneous labor “… results of a joint study between University of Utah Health and Intermountain Healthcare show inducing labor one week early costs the same as waiting for spontaneous labor.”

Becker’s Hospital Review, May 7, 2019: Meet the exec team of Civica Rx “Seven major health systems joined forces to form a nonprofit generic drug company, Civica Rx, to address drug shortages and combat the rising price of medications.”

ABC 4, May 8, 2019: Intermountain Medical Center named top 100 hospital “A national healthcare publication named Intermountain Medical Center in Murray as part of its ‘100 Great Hospitals in America’ list.”

NewsWise, May 15, 2019: Enhancing Emergency Care: Study Finds Lower ER Triage Scores are Associated with Delayed Antibiotics for Sepsis Patients “… researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City found that antibiotic delivery was significantly faster—by up to 32 minutes—for sepsis patients being treated in an emergency department if they were assigned a slightly higher score on a subjective one-to-five acuity scale commonly used for patient triage.”

Becker’s Health IT and CIO Report, May 21, 2019: Intermountain Healthcare develops EHR-based tool to assess patients’ COPD risk “Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare researchers designed a computer algorithm that integrates with patients’ EHRs to help determine an individual’s risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

MD Magazine, May 21, 2019: Providers Split on Family Presence During ICU Procedures “… lead author Sarah J. Beesley, MD, MS, clinical researcher at Intermountain Healthcare’s Center for Humanizing Critical Care …” Reuters, May 21, 2019: More evidence welding fumes raise lung cancer risk “…Dr. Denitza Blagev, a researcher at the University of Utah and Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah.”

Patient Engagement HIT, May 22, 2019: VA Uses Community Health Partnerships for Suicide Prevention “For Intermountain Healthcare, those efforts hinged on community health education efforts, as well as team-based care.”

CNBC, May 23, 2019: CNBC’s 2019 Healthy Returns Summit: Full Panels “Faced with ever- rising prices for oft-used generic drugs, one provider decided to make its own. We check in on the progress of Civica Rx with one of its founders and current president and CEO of Intermountain Healthcare, Marc Harrison.”

The Enterprise, May 28, 2019: Two critical antibiotics will be Civica Rx’s first generic drugs “Two commonly used antibiotics will be the first products to be produced and marketed by Civica Rx …”

Becker’s Hospital Review, May 29, 2019: Sepsis patients with higher ED triage scores get antibiotics faster, study finds “Researchers from Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare presented their findings …”

Salt Lake Tribune, May 29, 2019: Intermountain Healthcare will use 2 million fewer plastic straws in a move meant to help the environment “Intermountain Healthcare has joined an environmental movement to reduce the use of straws.”

Salt Lake Tribune, May 31, 2019: Utah parents urged to take care around pools this summer as drowning is the second leading cause of death for youngsters “…water safety news conference hosted by Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.”

Deseret News, June 1, 2019: Mock crash teaches students ‘it only takes a second to become a statistic’ “Among the agencies involved were Intermountain Medical Center’s Level 1 trauma team and its pediatric and women’s trauma committee …”

KSL Newsradio, June 1, 2019: Intermountain hospitals to screen all moms for postpartum depression “Intermountain Healthcare is implementing postpartum depression screening for all moms at all their hospitals statewide by the end of the year.”

Strategic Health Care Marketing, June 6, 2019: View from the C-Suite: Rajesh Shrestha, Chief Operating Officer, Community-Based Care at Intermountain Healthcare “One of Intermountain Healthcare’s strategic initiatives supporting its move toward value-based care is a business unit focused on community-based care, led since April 2018 by Rajesh Shrestha.” RESEARCH

Recent Intermountain research news Lung disorder, induce labor, antibiotics and more part of studies

Urgent care antibiotic stewardship study to enter implementation phase July 1. The Intermountain Healthcare antibiotic stewardship initiative, SCORE-UC, will enter its implementation phase July 1. SCORE-UC adapts evidence-based guidelines from other outpatient settings to improve appropriate antibiotic prescribing for patients in Intermountain urgent care clinics.

Intermountain caregivers present suicide prevention research at AAS conference. Caregivers from Intermountain presented at the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) conference in April, focusing on suicide prevention research. “With no single cause and rates that are rising despite decades of national investment, suicide is one of the most complex and urgent issues of our time,” Dr. Morissa Sobelson Henn said. “These research projects are helping us better understand and confront this dynamic public health problem using highly practical, population-oriented, collaborative approaches.”

Dr. Henn was recently on a podcast episode called “Coming Together to Prevent Firearm Suicide” with senior vice president Mikelle Moore of Community Health, Clark Aposhian of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, and Kim Myers who oversees suicide prevention and crisis services initiatives for the State Department of Human Services.

Intermountain Healthcare researcher receives national grant to identify genetic markers of lung disorder. An Intermountain researcher has been awarded a prestigious grant to study a vexing problem: why do approximately 3 percent of patients who experience pulmonary embolism—a blood clot in the arteries in the lungs—have their blood clots fail to resolve even with proper treatment with blood thinning medications?

Induced labor not more expensive to health care system than waiting for spontaneous labor, study finds. Expectant parents wait 40 weeks for the arrival of their new baby, but what if labor was induced one week earlier?

Emergency department crowding associated with delayed antibiotics for sepsis, study finds. Overcrowding in emergency departments is associated with a delay in patients with sepsis receiving antibiotic treatment, a recently published Intermountain study says.

16th annual Research Summit highlights changes, current research at Intermountain. The annual Research Summit on May 3 looked at recent organizational alignment of Intermountain’s system-wide efforts to support the research purpose: “our model healthcare system to advance clinical investigation and improve patient outcomes and healthcare quality through innovation, discovery and implementation science.” The summit also gave a look into some of the more well-known community-based care and research initiatives, and it highlighted research led by junior investigators who were nominated by their leadership to present. A young patient gets emergency stroke treatment using a care process model that speeds up care. “This model allows everyone who’s going to deal with a stroke patient in the first few hours to know what’s most important …” A multidisciplinary team of clinical experts, continuous improvement professionals, and implementation researchers worked on a process in 2018 to enable teams to achieve high adherence to evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for emergency stroke treatment. The result is an emergency management CPM for acute ischemic stroke for all Intermountain hospitals.

One Intermountain is helping cancer patients get the same nurse navigation experience everywhere—and other organizations are noticing. Deb Christensen, RN, a nurse navigator at Dixie Regional, helped lead the effort toward standardization and researched what other health systems are doing. Christensen and her colleagues took a systematic approach to create a model program and ensure patient care would be delivered consistently. She researched best practices for the nurse navigator role and later worked with a colleague from Sutter Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system in California, who was involved in the same type of work. They published their findings in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.

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