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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
When you discuss children's healthcare in Utah, without doubt one of our leading authorities is Dr. Ed Clark, Chair for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah and Chief Medical Officer of Intermountain Healthcare's Primary Children's Medical Center.
In 1995, when Dr. Clark started in this position, pediatric department research funding was less than one million dollars. Today, Dr. Clark and his faculty have expanded their research portfolio to nearly $120 million with the research at the core of improved health.
You will hear him say that in Utah, we have the highest value pediatric care at the lowest appropriate cost, which has been his mantra throughout his career. Children's healthcare costs in Utah are already an impressive 60 percent of the national average.
It's taken a disciplined approach and a sense of stewardship around the values of keeping our kids out of the hospital. If they do need medical attention, you'd be hard pressed to find a better place than Primary Children's Medical Center. Approximately two thirds of Utah children are healthy, and we're fortunate to be in a market where the healthcare community is focused on high-value care of the child.
Utah is in the forefront of healthcare. Intermountain Healthcare is in the company of leading high-value healthcare organizations like the Mayo Clinic, Kaiser, UCLA and Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Clark believes healthcare is a community responsibility, and he's done his best to live up to that ideal. That's why other medical health professionals are now coming to Utah to study what's going on at Primary Children's Medical Center.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
