Leading Intermountain Health Through Innovation and Change with Rob Allen

In this episode of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, Laura Deirdre interviews Rob Allen, President and CEO of Intermountain Health, about leading innovation and change in a complex healthcare environment. Allen shares how Intermountain Health—serving six western states with 34 hospitals, 70,000 caregivers, and over 1.1 million insured lives—continues to pursue its founding mission of being a 'model health system' since 1975. He emphasizes that the organization's top priorities are simplification for caregivers and patients, and proactive care to keep people healthy before illness strikes. A major focus of his leadership has been the massive Epic EHR rollout in September, the largest in Epic’s history, which required a 'Big Bang' implementation across the entire system despite initial concerns about risk. Allen reflects on how this experience reshaped his leadership approach, reinforcing the importance of clarity, focus, and disciplined decision-making in the face of constant change. He also shares a powerful personal story about his wife’s MS diagnosis, which taught him that uncertainty is inherent in life and healthcare—something leaders must accept and lead through with resilience and historical perspective. Finally, Allen stresses the human side of digital transformation, highlighting how technology can threaten a caregiver’s identity and calling for intentional support during change to ensure workforce well-being and long-term success.