1 00:00:00,705 --> 00:00:03,155 - This is Laura Dedo with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. 2 00:00:03,775 --> 00:00:05,835 I'm thrilled today to be joined by Craig Richville, 3 00:00:06,005 --> 00:00:07,275 chief Digital and Information 4 00:00:07,275 --> 00:00:08,395 Officer at Intermountain Health. 5 00:00:08,525 --> 00:00:10,595 Craig, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast today, 6 00:00:11,965 --> 00:00:12,965 - Laura. 7 00:00:12,965 --> 00:00:13,315 Thanks for having me. 8 00:00:14,475 --> 00:00:15,775 - Now, I'm excited to learn more about 9 00:00:15,775 --> 00:00:17,535 what you're doing at Intermountain, and certainly it's 10 00:00:17,535 --> 00:00:20,815 always a pleasure listening to you and having conversations 11 00:00:20,815 --> 00:00:23,815 because I'm inspired by the way you approach your work 12 00:00:23,915 --> 00:00:26,215 and, um, really some of the innovative things that you do. 13 00:00:26,315 --> 00:00:28,055 But before we dive into that discussion, 14 00:00:28,055 --> 00:00:29,935 and for those who maybe are just 15 00:00:30,475 --> 00:00:32,415 now subscribing the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, 16 00:00:32,755 --> 00:00:33,815 can you introduce yourself 17 00:00:33,815 --> 00:00:35,135 and tell us a little about your background? 18 00:00:37,085 --> 00:00:39,695 - Sure. Well, as you mentioned, I am the TE Digital 19 00:00:39,835 --> 00:00:42,175 and Information Officer at Intermountain Health. 20 00:00:42,885 --> 00:00:45,185 For those of you that don't know Intermountain Health, 21 00:00:45,415 --> 00:00:47,305 it's a integrated delivery system. 22 00:00:47,965 --> 00:00:49,625 Uh, we operate in seven states. 23 00:00:49,845 --> 00:00:54,425 We have 34 hospitals, hundreds of clinics, thousands 24 00:00:54,425 --> 00:00:55,825 of employee caregivers. 25 00:00:56,405 --> 00:00:59,385 We have 1.1 million members, uh, 26 00:00:59,405 --> 00:01:02,225 and we have a total revenue of about 16 billion. 27 00:01:03,055 --> 00:01:05,515 Now, in terms of myself, I started my career 28 00:01:06,255 --> 00:01:09,405 at Marathon Oil Company back in Ohio. 29 00:01:10,085 --> 00:01:14,125 I then went to ProMedica Health for 11 years at Atrium now, 30 00:01:14,485 --> 00:01:15,885 Health for 21 years. 31 00:01:16,955 --> 00:01:19,005 I've been in this role for five years. 32 00:01:19,785 --> 00:01:21,605 Um, I'm married to a beautiful wife. 33 00:01:21,805 --> 00:01:23,485 I have three wonderful sons. 34 00:01:23,785 --> 00:01:25,845 Uh, they're all in the healthcare IT space. 35 00:01:25,945 --> 00:01:29,645 So my oldest, uh, is with an early company, early startup. 36 00:01:30,225 --> 00:01:31,685 Uh, my middle physician is a, 37 00:01:31,685 --> 00:01:33,765 or my middle, uh, son is a physician, 38 00:01:34,385 --> 00:01:37,285 and my third son works at Advocate Health. 39 00:01:39,495 --> 00:01:40,625 - Well, that's amazing to hear. 40 00:01:40,645 --> 00:01:43,265 And you know, what an influence that you must have had 41 00:01:43,485 --> 00:01:45,945 for them as they're, you know, choosing their careers 42 00:01:45,945 --> 00:01:48,025 and they all go into healthcare and medicine 43 00:01:48,085 --> 00:01:51,065 and really, you know, uh, this growing field. 44 00:01:52,985 --> 00:01:54,275 - Yeah, it, it's, it's fun. 45 00:01:54,355 --> 00:01:56,155 I mean, our conversations are great. 46 00:01:56,315 --> 00:01:58,275 I learned so much from them and, 47 00:01:58,615 --> 00:02:01,515 and their, uh, uh, networking and their experiences, 48 00:02:01,775 --> 00:02:03,235 and I could take some of that 49 00:02:03,235 --> 00:02:04,875 and apply it to, uh, my work here. 50 00:02:05,775 --> 00:02:06,795 - Oh, that's awesome to hear. 51 00:02:06,795 --> 00:02:09,595 What a, a a great situation to be in, you know, 52 00:02:09,595 --> 00:02:12,035 in your family, um, you can really relate 53 00:02:12,035 --> 00:02:13,075 to and connect with on that level. 54 00:02:13,215 --> 00:02:15,755 And along those lines, what are some of the biggest issues 55 00:02:15,755 --> 00:02:17,635 that you're following in healthcare right now? 56 00:02:17,635 --> 00:02:18,635 What is top of mind 57 00:02:18,695 --> 00:02:20,755 and keeps coming up in those conversations? 58 00:02:22,575 --> 00:02:24,305 - Yeah, there's, uh, there, there's a lot 59 00:02:24,305 --> 00:02:25,585 of opportunity in healthcare. 60 00:02:25,615 --> 00:02:27,025 There's a lot of, um, 61 00:02:27,325 --> 00:02:30,505 stress happening in healthcare, as we all know. 62 00:02:31,265 --> 00:02:33,265 I want to share the two system initiatives 63 00:02:33,265 --> 00:02:35,185 that we're focused on at Intermountain Health. 64 00:02:36,245 --> 00:02:37,615 There's value-based care. 65 00:02:38,445 --> 00:02:41,295 This truly is, uh, changing the way that we, 66 00:02:41,915 --> 00:02:43,255 um, deliver healthcare. 67 00:02:43,955 --> 00:02:47,135 As we start to move things upstream, start to keep people, 68 00:02:47,165 --> 00:02:49,255 well look at early prevention 69 00:02:49,675 --> 00:02:52,975 and also really transcend the traditional growth boundaries, 70 00:02:53,395 --> 00:02:54,855 you know, be able to touch patients 71 00:02:54,855 --> 00:02:57,455 and members in ways we haven't done in the past. 72 00:02:58,005 --> 00:03:00,045 That whole transition to value-based care 73 00:03:00,585 --> 00:03:03,205 is a very important, um, uh, 74 00:03:03,205 --> 00:03:04,805 cornerstone for Intermountain Health. 75 00:03:05,345 --> 00:03:06,805 And the second is simplicity. 76 00:03:07,755 --> 00:03:11,505 Simplicity for us is to embrace the cutting edge technology. 77 00:03:12,085 --> 00:03:15,145 We really want to enrich the experience for our consumers, 78 00:03:15,295 --> 00:03:17,945 whether they're patients or whether they're members 79 00:03:18,165 --> 00:03:19,585 or whether they're caregivers. 80 00:03:20,165 --> 00:03:22,105 And it real just reimagine our work, 81 00:03:22,565 --> 00:03:25,985 become a lot more efficient and just improve the experience. 82 00:03:26,085 --> 00:03:29,705 So if we're looking at how we want to, um, shape 83 00:03:29,765 --> 00:03:31,985 and be part of the future of healthcare, 84 00:03:32,055 --> 00:03:33,745 it's really focused on the value-based care 85 00:03:34,325 --> 00:03:36,665 and simplify all the processes that we have. 86 00:03:39,515 --> 00:03:41,125 - Well, that's great to hear. And you know, 87 00:03:41,125 --> 00:03:43,205 certainly really cool to think through. 88 00:03:43,385 --> 00:03:45,365 Um, you know, what a great opportunity 89 00:03:45,365 --> 00:03:47,925 that we have right now, like you were saying, there's 90 00:03:47,925 --> 00:03:50,645 so many different, um, challenges, 91 00:03:50,645 --> 00:03:52,045 but also really great solutions 92 00:03:52,045 --> 00:03:55,445 and technology in the evolution of how healthcare delivery, 93 00:03:55,945 --> 00:03:59,405 um, really benefits not only the patients and communities, 94 00:03:59,405 --> 00:04:01,205 but also caregivers at the same time. 95 00:04:01,785 --> 00:04:04,365 And, and given all of the, these things we talked about, 96 00:04:04,365 --> 00:04:07,285 and you mentioned in, in terms of, um, big initiatives, 97 00:04:07,315 --> 00:04:08,725 what are you most excited about 98 00:04:08,785 --> 00:04:10,405 for the next year and what makes you nervous? 99 00:04:12,235 --> 00:04:13,805 - Yeah, there, there's really two things. 100 00:04:14,105 --> 00:04:16,525 One ties into each of the two above. 101 00:04:16,625 --> 00:04:20,365 So on the value-based care, for example, the thing 102 00:04:20,365 --> 00:04:22,325 that I'm excited about, but also very nervous 103 00:04:23,145 --> 00:04:26,085 how the healthcare is gonna get reformed in terms of the 104 00:04:26,685 --> 00:04:28,285 redi, redistribution of the dollar. 105 00:04:28,985 --> 00:04:30,525 And, uh, when you look at healthcare, 106 00:04:30,525 --> 00:04:32,125 you've got the provider side, you've got the, 107 00:04:32,305 --> 00:04:36,605 the payer side, you've got pharmaceuticals, et cetera. 108 00:04:36,625 --> 00:04:40,085 And, and really what we need to do is start to shift, um, 109 00:04:40,245 --> 00:04:42,285 a lot of those services over into 110 00:04:42,475 --> 00:04:43,685 that prevention and wellness. 111 00:04:43,905 --> 00:04:48,285 So if we can start to, uh, incentivize, uh, providers 112 00:04:48,345 --> 00:04:53,125 and plans to move upstream, that would be a great change 113 00:04:53,225 --> 00:04:54,805 to transition, uh, for us. 114 00:04:55,605 --> 00:04:58,125 Secondly is artificial intelligence. 115 00:04:58,225 --> 00:05:00,245 You know, um, been in tech, you know, 116 00:05:00,245 --> 00:05:02,165 for over 30 years in healthcare tech. 117 00:05:03,435 --> 00:05:05,495 And on the artificial intelligence side, 118 00:05:05,515 --> 00:05:08,575 we have the opportunities to greatly assist our workforce. 119 00:05:09,355 --> 00:05:13,335 We can be more precise, we can enhance the efficiency, 120 00:05:13,395 --> 00:05:14,695 enrich the experience. 121 00:05:15,345 --> 00:05:17,935 Those are all things that, uh, we need to embrace 122 00:05:18,515 --> 00:05:22,375 and bring full light into, um, our processes and workflows. 123 00:05:23,075 --> 00:05:25,895 And on the same side of that, um, there's a nervous part. 124 00:05:26,045 --> 00:05:27,735 There's some bias both into some 125 00:05:27,735 --> 00:05:29,695 of the newer tech that's coming out. 126 00:05:29,695 --> 00:05:32,255 There's some big consistencies in that. 127 00:05:32,355 --> 00:05:34,695 Um, there's some reg regulations 128 00:05:34,725 --> 00:05:37,135 that might limit our potential, um, 129 00:05:37,755 --> 00:05:39,455 to bring this into our workforce 130 00:05:39,675 --> 00:05:42,335 and into the, the hands of our patients. 131 00:05:42,795 --> 00:05:45,975 So both of those, for me, the redistribution of the dollar 132 00:05:46,435 --> 00:05:47,975 and utilizing the advanced 133 00:05:48,075 --> 00:05:51,735 or um, artificial intelligence would be the two things 134 00:05:51,735 --> 00:05:54,135 that are gonna be very exciting to watch 135 00:05:54,195 --> 00:05:57,765 and have us, um, progress, but also was kind of nervous 136 00:05:57,765 --> 00:05:58,845 because we don't really know 137 00:05:58,845 --> 00:06:00,885 what the outcome is gonna be yet. 138 00:06:01,945 --> 00:06:03,665 - I think that's such a, a really great point, 139 00:06:03,805 --> 00:06:06,145 and definitely I, I love your thought process 140 00:06:06,205 --> 00:06:08,945 around moving more of the healthcare services upstream 141 00:06:09,005 --> 00:06:10,385 and then leveraging artificial 142 00:06:10,385 --> 00:06:12,065 intelligence where it makes sense. 143 00:06:12,365 --> 00:06:15,465 Um, you know, to really aid, I, I guess, 144 00:06:15,465 --> 00:06:17,105 those goals in the healthcare space 145 00:06:17,525 --> 00:06:20,785 for you at Intermountain, when you look at, um, you know, 146 00:06:20,785 --> 00:06:22,225 kind of the intersection of 147 00:06:22,225 --> 00:06:24,385 how technology can influence those things 148 00:06:24,685 --> 00:06:27,625 and potentially support the organization's mission, both 149 00:06:27,625 --> 00:06:29,585 with value-based care, and then, you know, 150 00:06:29,645 --> 00:06:30,825 to looking at the workforce 151 00:06:30,885 --> 00:06:31,905 and looking at everything else 152 00:06:32,015 --> 00:06:33,345 that we've talked about today, 153 00:06:34,055 --> 00:06:36,065 what role does technology play? 154 00:06:36,065 --> 00:06:39,385 What role do you really see, um, yourself as well 155 00:06:39,385 --> 00:06:42,705 as your team being able to, um, play 156 00:06:42,705 --> 00:06:43,865 and contribute to some 157 00:06:43,865 --> 00:06:46,545 of these overall big goals for the health system? 158 00:06:48,015 --> 00:06:49,105 - Yeah, there, you know, when you, 159 00:06:49,105 --> 00:06:50,945 when you look at the technology piece 160 00:06:51,045 --> 00:06:52,785 and you see it in the other industries, 161 00:06:52,785 --> 00:06:55,905 and you're starting to see it a lot more within healthcare 162 00:06:56,045 --> 00:06:59,465 for sure, and it's the acceleration of the application of 163 00:06:59,465 --> 00:07:01,425 that technology into our space. 164 00:07:02,205 --> 00:07:05,545 So when you look at, um, from a replacement perspective, 165 00:07:06,715 --> 00:07:08,585 we're not looking to see how we can use some 166 00:07:08,585 --> 00:07:11,665 of this newer tech to replace what it really is. 167 00:07:11,855 --> 00:07:14,385 It's a, uh, some people call it a copilot, 168 00:07:14,775 --> 00:07:17,905 some people call it an assistant, really is something 169 00:07:17,905 --> 00:07:21,505 to help the human workforce to be more effective, 170 00:07:21,645 --> 00:07:22,905 to be more efficient, 171 00:07:23,485 --> 00:07:25,945 and in many cases, start to move some of 172 00:07:25,945 --> 00:07:28,385 that work toward our patients to give them the tools 173 00:07:28,485 --> 00:07:32,265 and the technology or to our members, give them the tools 174 00:07:32,325 --> 00:07:35,745 and the technology that's intuitive, easy to use. 175 00:07:36,205 --> 00:07:38,625 It allows them to do a lot of that work. 176 00:07:39,125 --> 00:07:42,105 Uh, and, and for the most part, that's what we really want 177 00:07:42,105 --> 00:07:44,905 to do from a patient or a consumer perspective. 178 00:07:45,085 --> 00:07:47,145 If you find yourself in the banking industry, 179 00:07:47,605 --> 00:07:51,425 you moved a lot of clerical task of going into a branch 180 00:07:51,525 --> 00:07:56,025 of cashing checks, um, withdrawing money, standing in lines. 181 00:07:56,605 --> 00:07:58,505 Now I, I do that all on my phone 182 00:07:58,805 --> 00:08:00,625 and I do it at three o'clock in the morning 183 00:08:00,685 --> 00:08:02,625 or whatever time that I want to. 184 00:08:02,925 --> 00:08:04,465 And that's the same thing when healthcare, 185 00:08:04,465 --> 00:08:06,185 we've gotta take some of these tasks 186 00:08:06,815 --> 00:08:09,465 that we've assigned in the processes that we've created, 187 00:08:09,965 --> 00:08:12,625 we start to really totally reimagine what that is 188 00:08:12,925 --> 00:08:15,105 and bring a lot of that back into the patients 189 00:08:15,105 --> 00:08:18,745 and to our members and allow them to be able to take control 190 00:08:18,745 --> 00:08:20,505 of their health and of their care as well. 191 00:08:22,225 --> 00:08:24,565 - That's such a great point. And especially thinking 192 00:08:24,565 --> 00:08:26,645 through, you know, how healthcare 193 00:08:27,265 --> 00:08:30,045 has really moved into a space where, um, 194 00:08:30,185 --> 00:08:32,685 the patients can drive so much more 195 00:08:32,705 --> 00:08:34,685 of their care journeys than they have in the past. 196 00:08:34,785 --> 00:08:36,645 It seems like a really cool opportunity 197 00:08:36,905 --> 00:08:39,845 and, um, you know, a lot of opportunity again 198 00:08:39,845 --> 00:08:41,285 for like innovation in that space 199 00:08:41,285 --> 00:08:45,485 and technology being the driver there. 200 00:08:46,065 --> 00:08:47,285 Um, from your perspective, 201 00:08:47,635 --> 00:08:50,285 what will you do you think the most effective healthcare 202 00:08:50,285 --> 00:08:52,725 leaders will need in order to be successful in the next two 203 00:08:52,725 --> 00:08:54,805 to three years or so, especially given these changes 204 00:08:54,835 --> 00:08:56,125 that are happening in healthcare? 205 00:08:57,835 --> 00:09:00,045 - Yeah, I, yeah, I would say there's several things. 206 00:09:00,245 --> 00:09:02,005 I think these are some, for some people 207 00:09:02,005 --> 00:09:04,525 that are the same characteristics and some they're new or, 208 00:09:04,865 --> 00:09:06,045 or need to be enhanced, 209 00:09:06,105 --> 00:09:07,805 but we gotta get a lot more adventurous. 210 00:09:08,305 --> 00:09:10,445 And that's going back to kind of reimagining exactly 211 00:09:10,985 --> 00:09:12,205 how we do work today. 212 00:09:13,105 --> 00:09:14,605 Uh, we have to be audacious. 213 00:09:15,485 --> 00:09:18,355 Uh, we need to be courageous, have 214 00:09:18,355 --> 00:09:21,955 to be very energetic in our work, excited about the work, 215 00:09:22,415 --> 00:09:24,115 uh, but also very humble, uh, 216 00:09:24,135 --> 00:09:26,195 and be able to continue to learn from others. 217 00:09:27,075 --> 00:09:29,155 I think the boldness and the courage are the things 218 00:09:29,155 --> 00:09:31,155 that we really need to do in the next couple of years. 219 00:09:31,155 --> 00:09:34,875 This is no longer, you know, a continuous improvement 220 00:09:35,015 --> 00:09:37,435 or a transitional, uh, change. 221 00:09:37,615 --> 00:09:39,395 It really is truly transformational. 222 00:09:39,985 --> 00:09:41,715 This is turning it upside down 223 00:09:41,855 --> 00:09:45,155 and let's start to change how healthcare is administered 224 00:09:45,155 --> 00:09:48,155 or delivered and finance, uh, in our country. 225 00:09:49,275 --> 00:09:52,905 Gotta start seeking going to places we've never gone before. 226 00:09:53,285 --> 00:09:56,545 Uh, but we have to do that in a very calculated way. 227 00:09:57,205 --> 00:10:00,025 Uh, we do have to make sure that we ensure the privacy 228 00:10:00,925 --> 00:10:02,785 of our data, uh, safety 229 00:10:02,885 --> 00:10:05,625 and security, the services that we provide. 230 00:10:06,205 --> 00:10:09,305 We have to use data to drive our decision making. 231 00:10:10,275 --> 00:10:13,895 Um, you know, we gotta put the tools in the hands 232 00:10:13,915 --> 00:10:17,555 of our patients as we mentioned earlier, and to our members 233 00:10:18,255 --> 00:10:19,675 and to our caregivers, 234 00:10:20,175 --> 00:10:22,835 and have them to be able to embrace where it's just another 235 00:10:23,425 --> 00:10:24,915 tool for them on their tool belt 236 00:10:24,915 --> 00:10:26,235 to help them do their job better. 237 00:10:28,085 --> 00:10:29,145 - That's amazing to hear. 238 00:10:29,375 --> 00:10:30,545 Well, Craig, thank you so much 239 00:10:30,625 --> 00:10:32,105 for joining us on the podcast today. 240 00:10:32,105 --> 00:10:33,985 This has been such a fascinating discussion 241 00:10:33,985 --> 00:10:35,865 and I look forward to connecting with you again soon. 242 00:10:37,415 --> 00:10:38,985 - Okay, thank you, Laura. Appreciate it.