Intermountain Podcast

Episode 62: Intermountain’s Community stewardship during the COVID-19 pandemic: Caring for homeless populations and increasing community partnerships May 13, 2020

In this podcast, Mikelle Moore, SVP and Chief Community Health Officer, engages in a conversation with Intermountain caregiver Amanda Gold about how Intermountain is supporting those who are experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mikelle shares examples of how Intermountain is aiming to partner with community organizations to provide support to individuals in need.

Thanks for Asking: How to lead during COVID-19 Mar 27, 2020

Leadership lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic was the topic of a podcast discussion between Intermountain CEO Marc Harrison, MD, and General Stan McChrystal, retired four-star general and founder of the McChrystal Group, an international consulting and leadership development firm.

Thanks for Asking: How huddles, non-profits, and partnerships are helping Utah kids Mar 03, 2020

An inspiring example of how scores of people from across Intermountain and multiple other groups came together to find a way to better care for abused children was the topic of a discussion between Dinah Weldon, director of the Center for Safe and Healthy Families at Primary Children's Hospital, and CEO Dr. Marc Harrison. They also discussed ways Intermountain and community partners are providing the best possible care for kids experiencing their “worst day ever.”

Thanks for Asking: Changing our culture of error prevention Feb 26, 2020

How Intermountain has been changing the way we view patient safety and the way we prevent errors was the topic of a discussion between Kalleen Campbell, a patient safety consultant based in St. George, and CEO Dr. Marc Harrison. Kalleen shares how recent restructuring and Marc’s leadership have strengthened our culture of safety and quality.

Thanks for Asking: Arm-wresting and Resilience Feb 19, 2020

World arm-wrestling champion Kody Merritt, a part-time security officer at Logan Regional Hospital and a parole officer for the Utah Department of Corrections, talks with CEO Dr. Marc Harrison about things he’s learned in sport and in life about resiliency and perseverance.

Episode 63: Improving Independence and Homecare Therapies Through Technologies Feb 12, 2020

As therapies evolve and technologies grow to promote patient self-administration and independence, Mark Briesacher, MD, chief physician executive at Intermountain Healthcare speaks with Intermountain Homecare Pharmacy Director, Mark Crosby, and Intermountain Homecare Pharmacy Manager, Wes Nance, to talk about pharmacy service offered in the home environment. Intermountain Homecare Pharmacy is improving access, safety, and quality by employing a three-step approach to patient care they call, “And, Yes, and Yet.”

Thanks for Asking: How will the Primary Promise Campaign help local kids? Feb 11, 2020

Intermountain recently announced a campaign to build a model health system for children across the Intermountain West. Dustin Lipson, administrator of Primary Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Neal Davis, medical director for pediatric community-based care, talk with CEO Dr. Marc Harrison about what’s planned and how it will improve care for children and families.

Episode: 62: Tan’s Treats Eases Childhood Hunger in St. George, Utah Jan 06, 2020

St. George, Utah is known for sunshine and it’s small-town atmosphere. It also has what all towns have: Kids uncertain of where their next meal will come from. Tan’s Treats is a community program designed to ease the burden of food scarcity. Providing nutrition for kids helps them grow healthy and strong, and keeps them focused on learning when they are in the classroom. Listen to the podcast to learn how it developed from a small, two-person operation to become a local non-profit.

Episode 61: Bringing Perspective and Comfort to Serious Illness Jan 06, 2020

“We play a role in all of life’s events—of joy and of sorrow. Myjob is to make sure that however long or however short someone has that they’re living the life that they want to live.”—this quote is from Dr. Dominic Moore, pediatrician at Primary Children’s Hospital and associate medical director for palliative care, homecare and hospice for Intermountain Healthcare, in a recent podcast with Dr. Mark Briesacher, chief physician executive. Dr. Moore talks about attending to the physical, psychosocial and spiritual aspects of chronic, serious and end-stage illnesses. Because he’s also a professional musician and, a bit of a philosopher, the conversation runs deep and speaks to how medicine can blend science with creativity, emotion and humanization—and how any healthcare professional can approach this with patients and families.

Episode 60: The Opportunities of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Antimicrobial Stewardship Dec 24, 2019

In the United States, antimicrobial resistance has brought about the rise of the post-antibiotic era. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Katherine Fleming-Dutra talks with Shannon Phillips, Eddie Stenehjem, Whitney Buckel, and Adam Hersh about the challenges and opportunities we face with a multidisciplinary approach to antimicrobial stewardship. Intermountain has built an urgent care initiative with the help of a $1.8m contract with the CDC. If you're curious about antimicrobial stewardship, and want to learn more about how we are partnering with the University of Utah and the CDC to improve antibiotic prescribing, this episode is for you.

Episode 59: Writing a Personal Story of Leadership and Service to Others Dec 23, 2019

Mark Briesacher, MD, chief physician executive at Intermountain Healthcare speaks with Scott Stevens, MD, medical director of the medical specialties clinical program, to talk about Dr. Stevens' path to clinical leadership. We go through Dr. Stevens' story of graduating with a degree in English Literature, to supporting activism against Apartheid in South Africa, to measuring blood pressure in traveling medical clinics in the Phillippines, and to finishing medical school and serving others as a clinical leader. Learn how he wrote his unique story and what drives his purpose to leading, mentoring and staying focused in the face of continual changes in the healthcare industry.

Episode 58: SDoH: Improve Care Equity Through Regulations and Local Leadership Dec 16, 2019

In this podcast, Mikelle Moore, SVP and Chief Community Health Officer, is joined by Vince Ventomiglia, Chairman, Leavitt Partners Board of Managers, for a conversation around the social determinants of health, how federal regulations could promote more equity, and how local leaders can help drive changes to increase health.

Episode 57: Getting Beyond Usability and Feelings to Love Your EHR Dec 09, 2019

Dr. Anne Pendo, senior medical director for the experience of caring in the office of patient experience, talks with Tyler Haberle, MD, an internist from St. George about taking complex scenarios in the EHR work and distill them down to get the job done. Learn how he goes beyond the feelings and usability issues of software complaints to help other providers do their best work. What is his “rocket fuel” for partnering with providers? Learn how he approaches issues and teaches providers to "love the one [software] they’re with" and use it to save time and bring value to their work.

Episode 56: Finding Meaning, Motivation, and Mentors in Medicine Dec 02, 2019

Dr. Anne Pendo, senior medical director for the experience of caring in the office of patient experience, speaks with Mike Woodruff, MD, senior medical director for the office of patient experience, to discuss his leadership journey. Find out how he discovered his motivation for practicing medicine and finding meaning in his work. Listen to who his mentors are and what they taught him, how he gets comfortable with uncertainty, and what he thinks about putting humanity back into the work of being a physician.

Thanks for Asking: Can we reduce suicides? Nov 26, 2019

Can a health system influence the number of suicides in the community and should they? Those were the questions discussed by Morrissa Henn, DrPH, a community health program director for Intermountain, and CEO Dr. Marc Harrison.

Episode 55: The Total Patient Experience Includes Language Nov 18, 2019

Mark Briesacher, chief physician executive, talks with Natasha Ovuoba, equity and inclusion consultant, and Carlos Martinez-Morales, language services and cultural competency manager, about what Intermountain is doing to support cultural competency and diversity within our organization. Learn what Intermountain is doing to not only increase language services, but more broadly to improve the patient experience of care by helping caregivers become more informed and engaged.

A Veterans Day look at the unique health needs of military veterans Nov 06, 2019

In honor of Veterans Day, Mikelle Moore, Intermountain's senior vice president and chief community health officer spoke with two members of Intermountain's Military Caregiver Resource Group, Mike Busdicker and Jim Lamadrid, about their thoughts related to the unique health needs of military veterans.

Thanks for Asking: Does Tele-oncology Work? Oct 17, 2019

Is Intermountain's tele-oncology program working and are patients getting good care? That's what CEO Dr. Marc Harrison asked Dr. Derrick Haslem, associate medical director for the Oncology Clinical Program, on this podcast. Hint: the answer was a resounding YES!

Episode 53: Antibiotic Stewardship is Everyone's Responsibility Oct 09, 2019

All caregivers have a role to play in preventing antimicrobial resistance. Pew Charitable Trusts' David Hyun and Rachel Zetts talk with Shannon Phillips, Eddie Stenehjem, and Adam Hersh about antibiotic stewardship. Intermountain has worked to implement a scalable systemwide program in all of our hospitals and beyond. If you're a caregiver, and want to understand the successes and challenges with safe use of antibiotics, this podcast is for you.

Thanks for Asking: What’s HerediGene? Oct 09, 2019

HerediGene, Intermountain’s groundbreaking five-year DNA study to find new links between genetics and disease, was the topic of the latest Thanks for Asking podcast with CEO Marc Harrison, MD. Marc asked Lincoln Nadauld, MD, PhD, Intermountain’s chief of precision genomics, for more details about the study, which launched this summer and will involve the collection of half a million DNA samples.

Thanks for Asking: Getting Active Oct 01, 2019

Skye Moench had a promising career as a tax accountant working at prominent accounting firm when she decided to give it all up and become a professional athlete. She recently won first place in the Ironman Europe Championship and is soon headed to Kona, Hawaii, to compete in the Ironman World Championships. Skye, who’s a member of Intermountain’s LiVe Well triathlon team, talks about her experience, as well as shares her advice for anyone thinking about trying to get more active, in a podcast discussion with CEO Dr. Marc Harrison.

Episode 52: Winding up Women in Medicine Month, a Conversation About How Partnerships Between Leaders Can Foster Better Patient Care and Provider Experience Sep 27, 2019

Dr. Anne Pendo sits down with Dr. Liz O’Brien, Senior Medical Director of Obstetrics and Neonatal Operations, and Allison Showalter, Advance Practice Provider Director of Neonatology, to discuss how they’ve come together as a leadership team to tackle the work of navigating change and leading a systemwide team of providers. They attribute much of their success to their robust friendship, an open door policy for their teams, and always putting the patient at the center whenever they face a challenge.

Thanks for Asking: The Role of Rural Homecare Sep 25, 2019

What role does Homecare play in the future or Intermountain Healthcare, particularly Homecare in rural areas? That’s the topic Cyntea Anderson, RN, an Intermountain Homecare nurse in rural Millard County, discussed with CEO Dr. Marc Harrison. Cyntea has been caring for patients at their homes in isolated parts of Utah for many years. “I love being in people’s homes,” she says. “That’s where you go to get better.”

Episode 51: As part of Women in Medicine Month, how improving technology motivates one physician Sep 20, 2019

As part of September's Women in Medicine series, Dr. Anne Pendo sits down with Dr. Tamara Moores Todd, an emergency medicine physician who in her role as a Medical Director in Care Transformation, works closely with emergency medicine, trauma, and urgent care providers to "make everything you click a little bit better" so providers can spend more time on patient care, and less time on busy work. Dr. Moores Todd talks about how she maintains optimism amid sometimes overwhelming negative emotions from those who are using iCentra, including staying focused on goals, being more transparent about the incremental steps that are improving the EHR experience, and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues at the front line so she can listen to their needs and help make the tools providers use every day more efficient.

Thanks for Asking: Board Diversity Sep 18, 2019

The role of governance in helping to both support and drive diversity at Intermountain Healthcare was the topic of a discussion between CEO dr. Marc Harrison and Janice Ugaki, the Chair and Co-founder of Firmseek and a member of Intermountain's Board of Trustees. “I feel very strongly about diversity on boards, and not just the main Intermountain Board, but also all of the local community boards,” Janice says. “I think in order to innovate you really need to have a diverse group of people.”

Thanks for Asking: Leadership to Help Teams Excel Sep 10, 2019

Ways to lead teams to help them excel and embrace change is the topic of a recent discussion between Annie Luke, RN, nurse manager of the Post-anesthesia Care Unit and Same-day Surgery at Intermountain Medical Center, and CEO Marc Harrison, MD. Annie also shared how she responds as a leader when a member of her team struggles to embrace change.

Episode 50: Microwave Conversations and Leadership Sep 10, 2019

Women in Medicine Series Part 2. Dr. Donna Barhorst, a pediatrician and leader in the Intermountain Medical Group, shares her path through clinical care into leadership. Dr. Barhorst talks about following her path and never stopping to think about gender limitations, building successful teams, and connecting with caregivers around the microwave.

Episode 49: Launching a Systemwide Team Sep 09, 2019

As part of Women in Medicine month, Anne Pendo, MD interviews Cara Camiolo, MD, who came to Intermountain to lead a newly organized Rehab Services team. They talk about how Dr. Camiolo formed her team of leaders, how these leaders worked together to build a new team from many disparate teams across the system, how learning by trial and error can improve communication and morale and how this new team has positively impacted patient care.

Thanks for Asking: Being Good Antibiotic Stewards Sep 03, 2019

The importance of antibiotic stewardship, how Intermountain is leading the way in reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics, and how you can help reduce antibiotic resistance were the topics of this week’s podcast discussion with CEO Dr. Marc Harrison. The guests included Dr. Eddie Stenehjem, Intermountain’s medical director of antibiotic stewardship, Dr. Tony Wallin, urgent care medical director, and Dr. Adam Hersh from pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Utah.

Thanks for Asking: Persevering After Failure Aug 21, 2019

How do you get back up and keep trying after setbacks and failures? That the question Koffi Adzitso from Materials Management at Logan Regional Hospital discussed with CEO Dr. Marc Harrison in this week's podcast. In addition to his work at Intermountain, Koffi owns a gym, is a retired mixed martial arts fighter, and is part of the U.S. competitive grappling team. His family immigrated to America from west Africa when he was 11. He's faced many setbacks in life, but has risen above them and shares how he's done it.

Episode 48: The Role Advanced Practice Providers Play in Access to Quality Care Aug 19, 2019

Chris Hyer, PA-C, executive director for advanced practice providers (APPs) at Intermountain meets with Mark Briesacher, chief physician executive to discuss the important roles APPs and APP leaders have to the healthcare system, to the industry and to patient care.

Thanks for Asking: Fostering Engaged Caregivers Aug 12, 2019

Intermountain CEO Dr. Marc Harrison talked with two caregivers from the Memorial Clinic, Devin Reid, practice administrator, and Brandy Siniscal, practice director for Memorial Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, who shared how they've helped build a team of engaged caregivers. They also share some ideas caregivers on their team have submitted and how they encourage team members to share ideas.

Episode 48: Maybe an Apple a Day IS the Answer - How Social Factors can Improve our Communities Health Aug 07, 2019

Health organizations are needed to show successes in focusing individually and as a public to address the health needs of those in our community. Are we addressing the economic factors when they’re suboptimal for an individual or communities health? Are we doing what we can to change the problems and discriminations patients faced with? Whether we call it social determinants of health or not, we need to be addressing the factors causing negative outcomes. Utilizing the information and data gathered from the research and individual efforts around social determinants of health are needed to build healthier generations and populations and offer a better future of care.

Thanks for Asking: Performing Under Pressure Jul 30, 2019

Mady Howard, RN, an ICU nurse at Dixie Regional Medical Center, is a former gymnast and competitor on American Ninja Warrior. She told CEO Dr. Marc Harrison about performing well under pressure and how the lessons she's learned as an athlete help her succeed as a caregiver. Marc also shares some tips he learned as a pediatric critical care physician about performing under pressure.

Episode 47: Factoring in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity into Overall Health Jun 27, 2019

Matt Bryant, MD, Internist at Intermountain Avenues Specialty Clinic, addresses the health disparities that the LGBTQ+ community faces in a conversation with Mark Briesacher, MD, Chief Physician Executive and Anne Pendo, MD, Senior Medical Director for the Experience of Caring. They talk about the importance of improving preventive health, wellness, regular screenings for natal and surgical anatomies, access to healthcare and mental health services, and experiences with health services among LGBTQ+ individuals. Intermountain is taking initiative to create safe spaces for all patients and caregivers to open up and be comfortable to talk about and address these issues.

Thanks for Asking: How can we better serve diverse patients? Jun 26, 2019

Two caregivers from the West Valley Clinic, Juli Escobar, medical assistant, and Ashley McDonagh, clinical practice director, joined Intermountain CEO Dr. Marc Harrison to discuss how Intermountain can better meet the needs of diverse patients, as well as how Intermountain can attract diverse caregivers.

Thanks for Asking: What should learning look like? Apr 24, 2019

What should learning look like for Intermountain as a whole, and for individual caregivers? That’s the question Kristen Bowles, a learning business partner from Intermountain's Learning Network, asked CEO Dr. Marc Harrison in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Episode 46: Coming Together to Prevent Firearm Suicide Apr 08, 2019

Firearm access is a major driver of the rural west’s disproportionately high suicide rate. Putting time and distance between a person with a suicidal impulse and a highly lethal method is one of a limited number of empirically based, high-impact suicide prevention strategies.

In this episode, Mikelle Moore, Intermountain's senior vice president of Community Health, leads a conversation on reducing access to lethal means for people at-risk for suicide with Clark Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, Morissa Henn, DrPH, Intermountain's community health program director, and Kimberly Myers, administrator for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services, Utah Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

Resources mentioned in the podcast episode.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Thanks for Asking: Fighting Caregiver Burnout Mar 27, 2019

Strategies to help prevent caregiver burnout was the topic of this weeks discussion with Ted Moon, MD, and Mary Helen Stricklin, RN, from Dixie Regional Medical Center and CEO Marc Harrison, MD. Mary Helen and Dr. Moon share some of their ideas, including an event called Tea for the Soul they hosted in the ICU at Dixie Regional.

Episode 45: Intellectual Property Rights for Intermountain Caregivers Mar 06, 2019

How does Intermountain Healthcare support and reward innovative caregivers? That was the subject of a podcast discussion with Mark Briesacher, MD, Intermountain’s chief physician officer, Caleb Frischknecht, Intermountain’s intellectual property director, and Mark Ott, MD, medical director of Intermountain Medical Center.

How Designing For Local Impact Improves Community Health and Economic Growth Feb 27, 2019

Mayor Tubbs of Stockton, California and Mikelle Moore, Intermountain’s senior vice president of Community Health, discuss how Stockton has reduced crime and increased employment, and how healthcare providers can be anchor institutions in the communities where they work and live. If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. They also discuss opportunity zones, which give preferential tax treatment for economically-distressed communities and improve the health of people by addressing some of the social determinants of health, e.g. helping with housing stability, food security, and personal health.

Thanks for Asking: Open Offices Feb 15, 2019

Are open floor plans helpful or hindering for nonclinical caregivers — and why are leaders like CEO Marc Harrison, MD, choosing to remove the walls and have no offices? Natasha Green, an HR communications specialist, talks with Marc about open floor plans — both the good and the bad — in the latest Thanks for Asking podcast.

Thanks for Asking: Making Medical Products Affordable Jan 25, 2019

Why are Intermountain’s costs for durable medical products sometimes much higher than similar products sold online, and are we doing anything to narrow the gap? That’s what Anita Harding, an accounting specialist on the payroll team, asked CEO Dr. Marc Harrison. For example, Anita said when she’s gone to buy equipment for her CPAP machine, she’s discovered it can be much less expensive to buy from online retailers instead of Intermountain.

Thanks for Asking: Diversity and Inclusion Jan 17, 2019

The importance of diversity and inclusion for both patients and caregivers was the topic of this week’s discussion between Natasha Ovuoba, the chair of Intermountain’s Multicultural Caregiver Resource Group, and Dr. Marc Harrison.

Thanks for Asking: One Intermountain Neonatal Care Nov 30, 2018

Four caregivers from American Fork Hospital share a story of their heroic efforts to save the life of a Lehi newborn is the subject of this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast with CEO Marc Harrison, MD. The story illustrates how our new One Intermountain structure are helping our youngest patients receive the same consistently high-quality newborn care at all Intermountain hospitals.

Thanks for Asking: What Does Reorg Success Look Like? Nov 16, 2018

What’s your definition of success for Intermountain’s realignment? And can frontline caregivers expect more changes in the future? That’s what Brenda Puchalski, RN, surgical services director at Park City Hospital, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Maternal Fetal Medicine and Opioid Use Disorder Nov 15, 2018

Vaginal birth vs Caesarean delivery: Which one requires more painkillers post-delivery? And how long should you treat childbirth pains with painkillers? Dr. Ware Branch, Medical Director of Intermountain Healthcare’s Women and Newborns Clinical Program and Mikelle Moore, Vice President of Community Health, talk about the intersection of maternal fetal medicine and opioid use, and how healthcare providers can improve care while protecting our community from opioid misuse.

SDoH and the Opportunity for Healthcare Systems Nov 15, 2018

Intermountain Healthcare and the Hatch Center sponsored a symposium in Washington, D.C. on November 14, 2018, where a number of healthcare leaders including Marc Harrison and Mikelle Moore discussed the social determinant of health (SDOH). Following the symposium, Dr. Harrison and Michelle Moore had the opportunity to sit down with symposium attendee and health care policy and strategy consultant with McDermottPlus, Adaeze Enekwechi, Ph.D., to discuss the SDOH and opportunities for healthcare systems to get involved in SDOH work.

Thanks for Asking: How Can We Support Veterans? Nov 09, 2018

How Intermountain can better support caregivers and patients who are military veterans was the topic of this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast discussion with CEO Marc Harrison, MD, and business application specialist Don Woodruff and HR business partner Lisa Duckworth. Don is a Navy veteran and Lisa is a Navy veteran; they both serve as co-chairs of Intermountain’s Military Caregiver Resource Group. Marc, Don, and Lisa discussed the new Military Caregiver Resource Group and some ideas to help us better support veterans — including changing hiring practices to accept military training and partnering more with the VA.

Thanks for Asking: Increasing Preventive Care Nov 01, 2018

What’s Intermountain’s strategy for increasing our focus on preventive care and wellness? Will SelectHealth increase the preventive services covered? And how should caregivers participate? Those are the questions Julienne West, an exercise physiologist at the Park City LiVe Well Center, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Episode 41: The future of Homecare at Intermountain Oct 26, 2018

Intermountain Healthcare announces Joel Macey, a long-time leader at the organization, as the Executive Director for Homecare and Hospice. In this podcast, Mark Briesacher, MD, chief physician officer, Rebekah Couper-Noles, associate chief nursing officer and Jeff McNally, MD, executive medical director for Homecare and Hospice, talk with Joel about the future of Homecare and related services for our patients and communities. Homecare has recently added new service lines including palliative care and post-acute care, and teams are working to improve these services, to integrate more seamlessly together and with other areas of the organization as well as thinking about healthcare and homecare in a new paradigm to find even better ways to care for patients in the home.

Episode 40: Helping seniors with daily living and health support, 24/7 Oct 26, 2018

This year Intermountain launched a life care model for seniors designed to keep them healthy and living fuller, more independent lives while significantly reducing emergency room and hospital visits. In this podcast, Bradley Nielsen, life care manager for Homespire, talks about the benefits of the program to patients and the roles of his team with Mark Briesacher, MD, Intermountain chief physician officer and Jeff McNally, MD, executive medical director for Homecare and Hospice. Homespire is a resource for family medicine and internal medicine providers, geriatricians and other specialists, family members and loved ones to connect seniors with a service that treats the whole person, addresses care gaps and provides non-medical services essential to daily living.

Thanks for Asking: Healthcare Career Paths Oct 26, 2018

How do you go from being a resident and a fellow at Primary Children’s Hospital to the CEO of one of the top healthcare systems in the nation? And what advice do you have for someone just embarking on a career in healthcare? That’s what Marshall Wallace, a critical care tech at Primary Children's, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Thanks for Asking: Expanding OB Care in Rural Areas Oct 18, 2018

How are we addressing the need for expanded obstetric services and choices in rural facilities? For example, at Park City Hospital many patients are traveling to Salt Lake or Utah counties for the OB care. How can we help women stay in their community for care? That’s what Mackenzie Visentin, RN, a labor and delivery nurse at Park City Hospital, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Episode 38: Aligning Clinician Compensation with Value-Based Care Oct 16, 2018

In this episode, Mark Briesacher, MD, Chief Physician Executive sits down with Karyn Springer, MD, Intermountain Medical Group Board Chair to talk about the changes the Medical Group is making to physician and advanced practice clinician compensation. Forty percent of the patients cared for at Intermountain, as of 2018, are in a risk- or value-based model, which requires different workflows, different types of teams and different areas of focus. Compensating providers in ways that support both fee-for-service and value-based care models will champion their initiatives around clinical quality, safety, experience and outcomes as well as help prevent provider burnout.

Discussing the social determinants of health Oct 16, 2018

Mikelle Moore, Intermountain’s senior vice president for Community Health, joined Karen DeSalvo, M.D., MPH, with the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School to discuss how Intermountain Healthcare is working to have a positive impact on the social determinants of health for our community members. Dr. DeSalvo and Mikelle also discusses Mikelle’s career in healthcare and why she moved from hospital administration to community health.

Thanks for Asking: Where Will Care Be Provided in the Future? Oct 12, 2018

With healthcare moving more and more toward providing services in homes, online, and outside our facilities, what does that mean for Homecare and the outpatient and inpatient services we provide? That’s the question Tim Jensen, an occupational therapist for Homecare in Cache and Box Elder counties, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Thanks for Asking: Standardizing Products to Cut Costs Oct 05, 2018

How can we better standardize the products providers and facilities use across the system to ensure we’re the best products at the lowest appropriate costs? And how can we address outliers who resist moving to standardized products? Those are the questions Trent Gee, a sourcing manager from Supply Chain, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Enlisting caregivers in improving health in our community Oct 04, 2018

Intermountain is planning our goals for 2019, including a goal to enlist our caregivers in improving health in the community. Intermountain's leadership team is asking caregivers to vote for which wellness and community health-related area they'd like to focus on. Mikelle Moore, senior vice president of Community Health, and Heather Brace, senior vice president and chief people officer, explain in this discussion.

Thanks for Asking: Intermountain compared to Kaiser Sep 28, 2018

How does Intermountain Healthcare compare to Kaiser Permanente? That’s the question Kendal Hunter, a dietary technician at Utah Valley Hospital, ask CEO Dr. Marc Harrison on this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast. “I'm from the San Francisco Bay area, so I grew up going to Kaiser hospitals, and I’ve been with Intermountain for 20 years now,” Kendal says. “I was wondering if you could do a comparison between the two.”

The social determinants of health: A conversation with Mike Leavitt Sep 27, 2018

Mikelle Moore, Intermountain’s senior vice president for Community Health, talks with former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt about the social factors that influence people’s health and what Intermountain is doing to make a real difference in communities. They discuss the Utah Alliance for the Determinants of Health and the collaborative solutions and opportunities that can be found by forming partnership, both locally and at a national level.

Episode 35: Tools Helping Clinical Teams to Close Care Gaps Sep 26, 2018

Anne Pendo, MD, Internist and Medical Director for the Experience of Care and Clinical Integration, talks with Joshua Romney, MD, Internist at Memorial Clinic about how using and continually improving patient advisories and other tools within our electronic medical record as well as resources like team huddles—allow us to close care gaps and address needs to keep our patients healthy and out of the hospital.

Episode 34: A new Clinical Program Allows Specialists to Share Their Wisdom Sep 26, 2018

Mark Briesacher, MD, Chief Physician Executive talks with Scott Stevens, MD, Medical Director of the new Medical Specialties Clinical Program about the ways in which specialists within the program can better collaborate and share best practices across Intermountain. Physicians and clinicians in dermatology, endocrinology, infectious disease, nephrology, rheumatology, pain medicine, pulmonary, and sleep medicine now have a clear home, the opportunity for improved professional satisfaction, and the tools to improve care for patients.

Preventing suicide Sep 12, 2018

This conversation about suicide prevention includes Mikelle Moore, Intermountain’s senior vice president for Community Health, Mike Woodruff, MD, an emergency physician and senior medical director in Intermountain’s Office of Patient Experience, and Mark Foote, MD, a psychiatrist and the medical director for Intermountain’s Behavioral Health Clinical Program. Their discussion revolves around the suicide crisis in Utah and the challenges and opportunities toward prevention, reducing stigma, and reaching patients at risk.

Thanks for Asking: Caregiver Experience Survey Sep 11, 2018

Why are we doing a caregiver experience survey? What will be done with the results? How will we handle action plans? Those are the questions Brenda Puchalski, RN, the Surgical Services director at Park City Hospital, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Episode 33: Reimagining Primary Care Sep 11, 2018

Intermountain’s efforts to reimagine the way we deliver primary care is the topic of this podcast discussion, featuring Dr. Anne Pendo, an internist and medical director for experience of care and clinical integration, CEO Dr. Marc Harrison, Drs. Chad Spain and Nick Duncan, family medicine physicians at the Cottonwood Family Medicine Clinic, and Kirsten Hanson, RN, care manager.

Thanks for Asking: Addressing the Social Determinants of Health Sep 06, 2018

What’s Intermountain’s role in influencing the social determinants of health — such as food insecurity, housing instability, employment, personal safety and security, and environmental safety? That’s the question Brent Schmidt, the ancillary and support services director at Sevier Valley Hospital, discussed with CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Thanks for Asking: Telecommuting Aug 29, 2018

Is Intermountain supportive of offering more work-from-home opportunities for caregivers where possible? That’s the question Tyler Shimakonis from Compliance at the Central Office asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Thanks for Asking: iCentra Downtime Aug 24, 2018

Why did iCentra go down last week, how can we prevent future down times, and how can we be better prepared to treat patients if the electronic medical record does go down again? Those are the questions Mark Lewis, MD, an internal medicine physician at the Salt Lake Clinic, discussed with CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Episode 32: The Strongest Voice: Patient Input is Critical to Making the Right Calls Aug 22, 2018

Bud Patnode, an active participant on Intermountain Healthcare’s Patient Family Advisory Council, speaks with Anne Pendo, MD, Medical Director for the Experience of Care and Denitza Blagev, MD, Specialty-Based Care Medical Director for Quality, on the importance of including patients and family members in discussions on how to improve the safety, quality, and experience of care.

Thanks for Asking: One Intermountain NICUs Aug 21, 2018

How are we working more as One Intermountain in our NICUs across Intermountain Healthcare? And how can we improve the ways we work together? Those are the questions CEO Marc Harrison, MD, asked longtime Primary Children's NICU nurse John Wentland, RN, on this week's Thanks for Asking podcast. John was among the team who helped train Marc when he was a pediatric ICU fellow at Primary Children's in the early 1990s, and Marc took the opportunity to learn from John again.

Episode 31: Preventing Infections Acquired in the Healthcare Setting Aug 13, 2018

In this podcast, Shannon Phillips, MD, Chief Patient Experience Officer, talks with Kristin Dascomb, MD, Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control and Employee Health, and Cherie Frame, System Infection Prevention Director, about creating standards of care to decrease the incidence of infections acquired in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Thanks for Asking: Protecting Caregivers From Violence Aug 10, 2018

As a charge nurse in the Emergency Department at Intermountain Medical Center, Josh Lane, RN, has both witnessed and been a victim of violence from patients and their family members. He’s always concerned about the safety of himself and his team, which is why he asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, what can be done to better keep Intermountain caregivers safe from workplace violence.

Episode 30: Antibiotic Stewardship for the Better Health of our Patients and Communities Aug 07, 2018

Shannon Phillips, MD, Chief Patient Experience Officer, talks with Eddie Stenehjem, MD, Infectious Disease Specialist and Antibiotic Stewardship Medical Director, and Whitney Buckle, Clinical Infectious Diseases Pharmacist and System Antibiotic Stewardship Pharmacist Manager, about the risks associated—for patients and our communities—with inappropriate antibiotic use.

Thanks for Asking: Fixing Performance Evaluations Aug 02, 2018

Do we really need annual performance evaluations? Are they worth the time, expense, and stress? Is there a more effective way to deliver feedback? Those are questions Primary Children’s NICU nurse John Wentland, RN, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Working together to reduce prescription opioid misuse Aug 02, 2018

Mikelle Moore, Intermountain’s senior vice president for Community Health, talks with David Hasleton, MD, Intermountain’s medical leader for prescription opioid misuse, about best practices for prescribing opioids, meeting the needs of chronic pain patients, medication-assisted therapy, and public awareness campaigns. The opioid crisis is difficult to address, but Intermountain’s partnership with physicians and partners is helping us to understand opioid use disorder and save lives.

Episode 28: Reducing variation: Standardizing the Work of Intermountain Medical Assistants Jul 25, 2018

In order to provide consistent care in Intermountain Medical Group clinics, Kelly Imlay, Nurse Administrator for the Medical Group, is working with Continuous Improvement to standardize patient care provided by Medical Assistants. In this podcast, Anne Pendo, MD, Medical Director for Experience of Care talks with Kelly and Diane Salisbury, an Intermountain medical assistant for the last 14 years, about how creating standards for the same care across all Intermountain clinics will improve the patient--and caregiver—experience.

Thanks for Asking: Help Finding Insurance Jul 20, 2018

Leanne Peterson, RN, a clinical risk manager for Utah Valley, has three children over the age of 26 who are struggling to find the right health insurance plan. Their employers don’t offer insurance coverage and they’re not sure what to do. Leanne asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast if there’s anything Intermountain and SelectHealth can do to help young people like her kids find the right insurance plan for their needs.

“You’re pointing out a much larger problem, which is that not only is healthcare very expensive, but this is all very complicated,” Marc says. “Imagine if your kids didn’t have a nurse for a mom… As an industry we have an obligation to demystify and simplify things so that regular hard-working people can not only afford their health insurance and their healthcare, but also understand how to navigate the system for themselves.”

Three resources to help with finding insurance coverage:

SelectHealth.org or 1-855-442-0220
211Utah.org or 1-888-826-9790
Healthcare.gov

Episode 27: How an Innovative Multi-disciplinary Team at Intermountain is Working to Help Opioid Addicts Reclaim Their Health Jul 17, 2018

Mark Briesacher, MD, President of the Intermountain Medical Group, speaks with Dean Mayer, MD, Medical Director of Riverton Hospital, Eddie Stenehjem, MD, Infectious Disease specialist and Medical Director of Antibiotic Stewardship, and Michael Coudreaut, MD, Psychiatrist and Consultation Liaison at Intermountain Medical Center, about the team they have created to help improve the lives and health of Intermountain patients addicted to opioids.

Thanks for Asking: Stopping Silos Jul 12, 2018

How can we ensure that our leaders and caregivers are working together effectively in our new structure and not moving back into silos? That’s the question Heather Brace from Human Resources asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast. She also asked what we can do to help leaders and teams, who are used to working in smaller regions, successfully collaborate across the entire system.

Episode 26: Bringing the Patient Voice into Healthcare to Provide Safer, Higher quality, Better Care Jul 03, 2018

Shannon Phillips, MD, Intermountain’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, talks about continuously improving safety in healthcare with Mike Woodruff, MD, Medical Directory for Patient Safety and Clinical Risk, and Elizabeth McKnight, System Director of Patient Safety.

Thanks for Asking: Staffing Help Jun 29, 2018

How can we cope with the added workload we’re seeing as a result of iCentra’s quirks? That’s the question Amanda Eaton, a patient service representative from the Salt Lake Clinic, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast. She also asked if offering optional overtime might be possible until we’re caught up and the quirks are resolved. iCentra is Intermountain's new electronic medical record.

Episode 25: Preventing and Managing Risks in Healthcare Jun 19, 2018

Shannon Phillips, MD, Intermountain’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, talks with Mike Woodruff, MD, Medical Director of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk, and Julie Wright, RN, System Director of Clinical Risk Management, regarding the importance of learning from and preventing future unintentional errors as well as providing emotional support to our caregivers, patients, and families.

Episode 24: An Improved Focus on Creating the Best Experience of Care for Our Patients Jun 19, 2018

Shannon Phillips, MD, Intermountain’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, continues her series of interviews with her team from the Office of Patient Experience. Today, she talks with Anne Pendo, MD, Medical Director for Experience of Care, and Korby Miller, System Director for Experience of Care, about creating an excellent of experience of care for our patients—one that is personalized and caring, keeps our patients healthy, delivers great outcomes, and is free from harm.

Thanks for Asking: What's Affordable? Jun 15, 2018

How much less does healthcare need to cost to be considered affordable? That’s the question Sterling Bennett, MD, the medical director for Intermountain’s Central Lab, asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in this week’s Thanks for Asking podcast.

Thanks for Asking: Protecting Patient Data Jun 08, 2018

Karen Siragusa from the finance team at Utah Valley Hospital asked CEO Dr. Marc Harrison:

Now that we’ve partnered with global organizations for our patient account services, how are we ensuring all protected health information is kept safe?
Is our data at greater risk of being stolen now that global partners are involved?
If there was a breach of our data in a foreign country, how would we know and how would we respond?

This podcast also includes some supplement information from Suzie Draper, Intermountain’s chief compliance officer.

Episode 23: Ensuring High-Quality Care, Every Time, for the Best Patient Experience Jun 07, 2018

In a series of interviews with her own Office of Patient Experience team, Shannon Phillips, MD, Intermountain’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, talks with her quality team (Donna Barhorst, MD, Community Care Medical Director for Quality, Denitza Blagev, MD, Specialty-Based Care Medical Director for Quality, and Milli West, System Director for Quality) about how to include the voice of the patient in the high-quality patient care we deliver.

Episode 22: Improving the Patient Experience Through Charting Jun 06, 2018

Shannon Phillips, MD, Intermountain’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, spoke with Christine Foster, MD, System Physician Advisor, and Kearstin Jorgenson, Physician Advisory Services Director, to understand how detailed, accurate documentation in our patient’s charts can lead to a better, safer patient experience.

Thanks for Asking: Career Paths for Non-clinical Caregivers Jun 01, 2018

Brad White from Supply Chain at Utah Valley Hospital asked CEO Dr. Marc Harrison:

What does the future hold for non-clinical caregivers?
What career opportunities can they expect in the new One Intermountain?
Will there be chances for Intermountain people who don’t provide direct patient care to grow and progress with our new structure?

Episode 21: The Effect of the Opioid Crisis on One Utah Family May 29, 2018

Jorden Saxton Hackney’s brother, Chase, began experimenting with prescription opioids as a senior in high school. Listen as Jorden talks to Shannon Phillips, MD, Intermountain’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, and Todd Allen, MD, Medical Director of the Intermountain Healthcare and Delivery Institute, about the four year journey her family took as they tried to help Chase in his struggle with addiction.

Thanks for Asking: Improving Training May 24, 2018

How can we improve the training of our caregivers to prepare for the healthcare environment of future? That was the question Lance Earnshaw from Homecare asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD, in the latest Thanks for Asking podcast. Some of the things they talked about:

What’s Intermountain’s philosophy on partnering with medical schools, including DO schools, for medical training?
What changes do we need to make in our training programs for all clinicians?
What skills do medical professionals need to be successful?

Thanks for Asking: What's Our Future? May 18, 2018

What will Intermountain Healthcare look like in 25 to 30 years? That’s what Brenden O’Neal from the Compliance team at Intermountain Medical Center asked CEO Marc Harrison, MD. Brenden also asked:

Will our vision of what Intermountain is and what we do change in the future?
How will the way we operate hospitals change?
Has there been any thought to expanding into new markets or neighboring states?

Thanks for Asking: Improving Access to Preventative Care May 11, 2018

Wes Crouch, pharmacy director at Sanpete Valley Hospital, asked Dr. Marc Harrison:

How can members of the care team be utilized to mitigate the shortage of primary care providers as we shift our focus from the hospital setting to preventative care?
Can clinicians like pharmacists and nurses help fill some of the needs traditionally addressed by primary care physicians?
How can we address the needs of under-insured patients?

Episode 20: Improving Resilience and Optimism with a Growth Mindset May 09, 2018

Terri Flint, Intermountain Employee Wellness Director, talks with Anne Pendo, MD, Medical Director for the Experience of Care in the Office of Patient Experience, about how a small adjustment in the way we think can create huge benefits in our personal and professional lives.

Thanks for Asking: Model Changes? May 04, 2018

Becky Reck, RN, a Same Day Surgery nurse at Utah Valley Hospital, asked Dr. Marc Harrison:

With all the recent changes focused on saving money, is Intermountain changing to a for-profit model?
Are we planning to change our model to more closely match other health systems, such as Cleveland Clinic or Kaiser Permanente?
Are we considering selling Intermountain to another system?
How will all these changes affect the way we serve people who are unable to pay for services?

Thanks for Asking: Aligning Staffing Levels May 04, 2018

Tricia Boulton, RN, a nurse manager in the emergency department at Utah Valley Hospital, asked Dr. Marc Harrison:

How will we standardize staffing levels across Intermountain when each hospital functions differently?
How can we set our staffing levels based on Truven benchmarking when the way we do things doesn’t match up with other benchmarked hospitals?
Are we planning to reduce staffing levels?
Will each hospital still be able to staff in a way that reflects the needs of their local community?

Thanks for Asking: Ensuring Rural Access Apr 27, 2018

Traci Buchanan, RN, a facility educator at Sanpete Valley Hospital, asked Dr. Marc Harrison:

As Intermountain goes through changes, how are we ensuring that rural facilities will continue to have the support they need to best serve their communities?
What is the role of rural medicine in Intermountain moving forward?
Are there any plans to expand services offered at rural facilities?

Thanks for Asking: Maintaining Safety & Quality Through Change Apr 27, 2018

Corinne Merzlock from the lab at Utah Valley Hospital asked Dr. Marc Harrison:

As we implement so many changes across the system, are we compromising quality or safety?
How can we ensure changes don’t negatively impact our patients?

Episode 19: Talking with Patients About Opioids and Pain Management Alternatives Apr 27, 2018

In this podcast, Dr Briesacher, Hasleton, and Skarda discuss how physicians can talk with their patients about opioids and how to offer pain management alternatives.

Episode 18: Celebrating What’s Right in Medicine and Changing Your Lens Apr 27, 2018

Takiko (Taki) May, MD, Intermountain Medical Group Board Member and Hospitalist at Logan Regional Hospital, talks with Anne Pendo, MD, Medical Director for the Experience of Care in the Office of Patient Experience, on acknowledging the thank you and adjusting our mindset to celebrate what’s right, increase our joy and effectiveness in work, and prevent burnout.

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