LAUSR

R apid technological advancements in recent decades have dramatically shifted the way businesses produce and deliver goods and services. While innovations such as smartphones, online shopping, and video chat have revolutionized entire industries, health care remains largely unchanged, despite promises of widespread improvements. Given patient expectations and growing frustration with the current health care system, organizations outside of health care are beginning to take action. For example, having already acquired pharmacy-wholesaler licenses in more than a dozen states, market analysts have been predicting that Amazon would inevitably enter the broader health care market; the January 2018 announcement of the Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan partnership to form an independent health care company for their employees brings this one step closer to fruition. However, the movement toward capitated payment, as well as increasing reimbursement by Medicare for activities such as remote patient monitoring and video visits, is finally allowing health care companies to account for the cost of developing and implementing new technological solutions aimed at improving care. Reduced financial barriers, compounded with regulatory changes and an increasingly competitive environment, are convincing many health care organizations to explore new ways to improve the delivery of health care. Long a national leader in care quality, Intermountain Healthcare has recognized the potential impact technology can have on health care. Intermountain recently transitioned from a regionally organized system to a new “One Intermountain” model. This new model aims to better consolidate resources to ensure that patients receive the same high-quality and cost-effective care at any Intermountain facility. As part of this reorganization, Intermountain remains committed to a growing portfolio of telehealth-based services. Telehealth refers to a set of technologies, tools, and services that involve the exchange of health-related information from one site to another through electronic communication.