CEO, Marc Harrison, MD
Last week, we received more clarity around the specifics and the timing of the Biden Administration’s three-part vaccine requirement. We communicated this update on Monday. We must comply with these federal rules or we’ll be unable to care for Medicare and Medicaid patients. That means some of the most vulnerable in our community—including underserved populations, the elderly, and children—wouldn’t have their care covered. For many rural communities who already have limited access to care, that result could be devastating. Our only option is to comply with federal rules. We’ll leave the policy debates in the hands of state and federal policymakers. Our focus remains caring for everyone in our community.
Amidst all this uncertainty and stress, I’ve been proud to see how our leaders and caregivers have responded. I’m deeply grateful to each of you. The new federal rules give caregivers three options for compliance: get vaccinated, apply for a medical exemption, or apply for a religious exemption. We’re seeing the vast majority of caregivers following these options. More are getting vaccinated. We’ve also received 732 applications for medical and religious exemptions as of the end of last week. I encourage all caregivers to choose whatever option is best for them. As a reminder per the new federal rules, caregivers must now receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by December 5 while religious and medical exemptions are due by November 22.
Thank you for conducting yourselves with integrity throughout this process. It’s been a bit of a moving target, and we all have different opinions about the new federal guidelines. But I’ve been heartened to see how so many caregivers have conducted themselves with professionalism and respect for one another as we move forward. Thanks for doing what Intermountain has always done so well—setting the highest standard for health and professionalism. If you still have questions about our vaccine requirement policy, please visit our resource page or contact Ask HR at 801-442-7547.
Amidst all this uncertainty and stress, I’ve been proud to see how our leaders and caregivers have responded. I’m deeply grateful to each of you. The new federal rules give caregivers three options for compliance: get vaccinated, apply for a medical exemption, or apply for a religious exemption. We’re seeing the vast majority of caregivers following these options. More are getting vaccinated. We’ve also received 732 applications for medical and religious exemptions as of the end of last week. I encourage all caregivers to choose whatever option is best for them. As a reminder per the new federal rules, caregivers must now receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by December 5 while religious and medical exemptions are due by November 22.
Thank you for conducting yourselves with integrity throughout this process. It’s been a bit of a moving target, and we all have different opinions about the new federal guidelines. But I’ve been heartened to see how so many caregivers have conducted themselves with professionalism and respect for one another as we move forward. Thanks for doing what Intermountain has always done so well—setting the highest standard for health and professionalism. If you still have questions about our vaccine requirement policy, please visit our resource page or contact Ask HR at 801-442-7547.