In an effort to in lower costs and allow for more virtual telehealth visits for patients, Intermountain Health is restructuring its hospital-based outpatient rehabilitation services in Utah and is moving to a clinic model that will result .
This shift comes as Intermountain Health continues to expand its value-based care model. Rehab services leaders say the move is a step in the right direction for improving access for patients.
“There was a time when most services were at a hospital but we’re seeing a transition away from hospital-based care, and frankly, for certain services to stay affordable they’re going to have to move to an outpatient model,” said Bob McCall, vice president of rehab services at Intermountain Health. “Once you see the benefit to patient access and affordability it really is a no-brainer to do it this way.”
With the change, Intermountain is now charging about 30 percent less for outpatient rehab services, compared to the hospital-based system. These services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy to help patients recovering from injury, managing pain, or following surgery.
With the services now under a clinic license, there is greater flexibility around the use of telehealth, allowing caregivers and patients easier access to virtual appointments and recovery.
“Both patients and caregivers saw the benefits of telehealth visits during the pandemic, but once rules allowing it expired there was a grey area whether hospitals could still use telehealth,” said Joey Kamerath, MD. “By restructuring our model we can ensure we can use telehealth when needed and expand access to communities who have been underserved in the past.”
Dr. Kamerath says in-person rehab appointments are vital for ensuring success, so patients won’t only be using virtual visits. Combining in-person and virtual visits gives flexibility to patients who may benefit from having the option to receive therapy from home.
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.
