Intermountain Podcast

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.

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.

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.”   

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.

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.  

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.”

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.  

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.

“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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.”

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.  CALM-Utah online course Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.