Dr. Brent James, Executive Director of the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Research and Chief Quality Officer, Intermountain Healthcare explains the method as “you pick a high priority clinical process and you build an evidence-based best practice guideline around that process.” “We call it a learning healthcare system and arguably Intermountain Healthcare is the best example of a learning healthcare system currently operating in the world.” 4-steps to a learning healthcare system are.

1. Pick a high priority clinical process
2. Build an evidence-based best practice guideline around that process
3. Blend the guideline into clinical workflow parallel with a data system that is going to track what happens
4. Feed the data into a “lean learning loop”. Data is fed back to the group so they can see the consequences of their actions and use the evidence to modify future protocols

Intermountain Healthcare is the group that developed most of the methods that are broadly being used today. Our aim is to improve quality and decrease cost by generating and distributing research discoveries across the Intermountain Healthcare system and partnering with other experts throughout the world.

Intermountain currently has more than 1,500 active research studies in more than 20 clinical areas. The core of Intermountain research takes place within our 10 clinical programs: Behavioral Health, Cardiovascular, Intensive Medicine, Musculoskeletal, Neurosciences, Oncology, Pediatrics, Primary Care, Surgical Services, and Women & Newborns.

To find out more about Intermountain Healthcare Research and the advancement of medical knowledge in many clinical areas visit intermountainresearch.org