What You Should Know:
– Story Health, a digital health company transforming specialty care delivery, and Intermountain Health, one of the nation’s premier nonprofit health systems, today announced an expanded relationship that will increase patient access to Intermountain’s nationally-recognized cardiology care across the health system.
– The expansion follows a highly successful pilot program launched by Intermountain and Story Health in January 2023 for patients with a new heart failure diagnosis.
Enhancing Heart Failure and Hypertension Management: Intermountain Health and Story Health Partnership
Intermountain Health, headquartered in Utah with operations across six states and the western U.S., is a nonprofit healthcare system comprising:
– 33 hospitals
– 385 clinics
– A medical group with approximately 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers
– A health plans division, Select Health, serving over one million members
Addressing the Growing Challenge of Heart Failure
Heart failure is a rapidly increasing and costly condition, projected to grow by over 25% by 2030, with costs exceeding $30 billion. Despite these challenges, evidence clearly demonstrates that effective management of medical therapies can significantly improve patient outcomes, including:
– Reduced morbidity
– Decreased hospitalizations
– Enhanced quality of life
Optimizing patient medication through guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) can extend life expectancy by up to five years and reduce hospitalizations by more than 70%.
Impact of the Story Health Program
Intermountain Health, in collaboration with Story Health, implemented a pilot program utilizing a virtual and asynchronous care model. The program yielded significant clinical improvements:
– Medication optimization (GDMT) was achieved in 80% of cases without requiring a clinic visit.
– A notably low readmission rate of 14.5% was observed, compared to the 18% national average.
– High patient engagement levels were reported, with a seven-day engagement rate of 91% and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 86.
– Quality-of-life scores, measured by KCCQ surveys, showed marked improvement.
– 20% of patients experienced a recovery of heart function.
– Clinic efficiency was enhanced, with an average of three clinic appointment slots freed up for every enrolled patient, improving overall access.
Expansion of the Partnership
Building on the success of the heart failure program, the partnership between Intermountain Health and Story Health has expanded to include a hypertension management program. Launched in April 2024, this pilot aims to increase the number of patients achieving controlled blood pressure levels.
Commitment to Clinical Excellence and Future Collaboration
Both Intermountain Health and Story Health remain dedicated to clinical excellence and efficiency. They plan to continue monitoring the results of their expanded collaboration over time. The promising outcomes of their heart failure program were showcased at the ACC CV Summit in Washington, DC, in February 2024, where Intermountain’s poster presentation earned a Top Ten designation.
This successful partnership not only highlights the potential for better patient outcomes but also provides a blueprint for managing other complex conditions in the future.
“Intermountain has long been a leader in developing innovative models of care for treating complex patient populations. However, we need to continue to close remaining gaps in care to truly deliver best-in-class cardiology care,” said Kaley Graham, executive director of Intermountain Health’s award-winning cardiovascular clinical program. “After demonstrating successful results during our pilot program, we are confident Story Health complements and enhances the work we do in the clinic to support cardiac conditions in the outpatient setting.”
