Intermountain Health ramps up engagement with local suppliers to strengthen communities

Working with a large health system can be overwhelming for small local businesses. Intermountain Health is using its position as a healthcare leader to help reduce this stress and support communities by building stronger relationships with local suppliers.

In 2025, Intermountain started hosting Supplier Days. These informal events bring local businesses and Intermountain teams together to connect, ask questions, and learn from each other.

These events also give local businesses a chance to share their services and products directly with caregivers and leaders. Intermountain benefits by learning more about the strengths and needs of local suppliers, which helps it make better purchasing decisions.

Why engaging local suppliers matters

Local suppliers are more than vendors. They are employers, neighbors, and small business owners who live and work in the same communities as the patients Intermountain serves. When local businesses succeed, communities benefit from stronger local economies, more jobs, and better access to essential services.

This work reflects Intermountain’s role as an anchor institution. Anchor institutions are place-based organizations that use their size, purchasing power, and long-term presence to support community stability. For Intermountain, that means making intentional business decisions that align with its mission to help people live the healthiest lives possible.

Creating space for connection

“Supplier Days are not just about buying goods and services,” said Megan Curtis, supplier and community engagement manager. “They are about listening and removing barriers that can make it difficult for local businesses to work with large organizations like ours.”

At a recent Supplier Day in Nevada, Intermountain’s Language Services team met Diversidad, a local company offering interpretation services. Before this event, Intermountain did not know about their services. The teams continue to talk and explore ways to work together. While no formal agreement is in place yet, the connection itself reflects the value of creating space for these types of conversations to happen.

Local engagement, broader impact

Engaging local suppliers supports economic stability in the communities Intermountain serves. It helps strengthen small businesses, supports local jobs, and keeps resources circulating within the region.

“It’s about building a resilient, inclusive healthcare infrastructure,” Curtis said. “Every supplier, from food service to medical equipment, plays a role in the patient journey. By investing in local businesses over time, these choices can help strengthen communities and support better health.”

This work differs from how Intermountain supports community organizations that provide direct services. One approach focuses on funding and collaboration to address immediate needs. The other uses business decisions to support long-term economic health. Together, both approaches reflect a commitment to overall community well-being.

Moving forward with intention

What began as a new approach continues to grow, with plans to expand Supplier Days to several states across Intermountain’s footprint in 2026. With this expansion, the goal remains clear: strengthen the supply chain and the communities we serve. By using purchasing power intentionally and listening to local businesses, Intermountain is investing in long-term economic health that supports better health outcomes. 

Local suppliers are invited to join us in building a resilient, inclusive healthcare ecosystem. Watch for information about Supplier Days in your area or visit us online to learn more about Becoming a supplier.