Healthcare Reform Then, and Now

One of the things standalone hospitals and smaller systems can do is approach large systems in the area and ask to collaborate on quality.

"Even though we may be competitors economically, we shouldn't be competitors in quality," says Wallace, adding that he's fully aware that some larger systems may be
hesitant to do this.

"But you can at least share in some of the quality improvement things you're working on and look at protocols. That's medical knowledge, and some larger organizations have developed those tools."

Even as a large organization, Intermountain is convinced that the key to financial success is to focus on quality care delivery, says Wallace.

"If we're only focusing on economics, we'll fall short."

This article appears in the October 2012 issue of HealthLeaders magazine.