What you should know:
– Story Health, a digital health company transforming the delivery of specialty health care, and Intermountain Health, one of the nation’s leading not-for-profit health systems, today announced an expanded collaboration that will provide patients across the health system with greater access to Intermountain’s nationally recognized cardiology care.
– The expansion follows a highly successful pilot program launched in January 2023 by Intermountain and Story Health for patients with a new heart failure diagnosis.
Improving the treatment of heart failure and hypertension: Intermountain Health and Story Health partner
Headquartered in Utah with offices in six states and the Western United States, Intermountain Health is a not-for-profit health system comprised of the following companies:
– 33 hospitals
– 385 clinics
– A medical group with around 4,600 employed doctors and nurses
– Select Health, a health insurance division serving over one million members
Addressing the growing challenge of heart failure
Heart failure is a rapidly growing and costly disease. By 2030, cases are expected to increase by over 25%, with costs exceeding $30 billion. Despite these challenges, there is strong evidence that effective medical therapy can significantly improve patient outcomes. These include:
– Reduced morbidity
– Fewer hospital stays
– Improved quality of life
Optimizing patient medication through guideline-consistent medical therapy (GDMT) can extend life expectancy by up to five years and reduce the number of hospital stays by more than 70%.
Impact of the Story Health program
Intermountain Health, in partnership with Story Health, implemented a pilot program using a virtual and asynchronous care model. The program resulted in significant clinical improvements:
– In 80% of cases, medication optimization (GDMT) was achieved without the need for a clinic visit.
– A remarkably low return rate of 14.5% was observed, compared to the national average of 18%.
– High patient engagement was reported, with a 7-day engagement rate of 91% and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 86.
– Quality of life scores from KCCQ surveys showed a significant improvement.
– Cardiac function recovered in 20% of patients.
– Clinic efficiency was improved, with an average of three clinic appointments being released for each enrolled patient, improving overall access.
Expanding 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 treatment program. Launching in April 2024, this pilot project aims to increase the number of patients achieving controlled blood pressure.
Commitment to clinical excellence and future collaboration
Both Intermountain Health and Story Health remain committed to clinical excellence and efficiency, and plan to continue monitoring the results of their expanded collaboration over time. The promising results of their heart failure program were presented at the ACC CV Summit in Washington, DC, in February 2024, where Intermountain’s poster presentation received a top ten award.
This successful partnership not only underscores the potential for improved patient outcomes, but also provides a blueprint for treating other complex diseases in the future.
“Intermountain has long been a leader in developing innovative care models to treat complex patient populations. However, we must continue to fill the remaining gaps in care to provide truly world-class cardiology care,” said Kaley Graham, executive director of Intermountain Health’s award-winning clinical cardiovascular program. “After demonstrating successful outcomes during our pilot program, we are confident that Story Health complements and enhances our work in the clinic to treat cardiac disease in the outpatient setting.”
