A Legacy That Spanned Generations
In 1961, Dr. Joseph Saltzer founded Saltzer Health, setting the standard for patient-centered care in Canyon County. Over the next several decades, it grew into a multi-specialty powerhouse, providing trusted medical care to tens of thousands of patients. For many patients, Saltzer provided much of their care, including their primary care provider.
Then, in 2020, Intermountain Health acquired Saltzer Health, promising stability and growth with it’s deep pockets and seemingly endless resources of a multi-billion dollar entity. But just four years later, in January 2024, they abruptly announced its complete closure—giving only 70 days’ notice to its 90,000 patients.
90,000 Patients Left Scrambling
Intermountain Health’s decision to shut down Saltzer Health left patients without continuity of care and forced physicians and staff to make sudden, difficult career decisions. The timeline was especially problematic: surgical global periods last up to 90 days, meaning post-operative patients were left without established follow-ups.
In an attempt to salvage something, Intermountain tried to sell off the family medicine division before closing, but they failed to find a buyer. Even worse, they completely eliminated viable subspecialties, including:
- Orthopedics
- ENT
- OB/Gyn
- Pain management
Yet, despite Intermountain’s decision, several of these specialties proved their viability by reopening as independent practices after the closure.
A Healthcare System That Wouldn’t Listen
One of the most frustrating aspects of working under Intermountain Health was their unwillingness to act on input from frontline providers. Those of us in the field knew what we needed to deliver better patient care, reduce physician burnout, and improve workflow efficiency.
For example, we spent over a year requesting biometric fingerprint readers to allow quick and secure logins into patient charts. Despite repeated requests, we never received them—even by the time the closure was announced.
We also advocated for scribes to decrease documentation burden and allow physicians more face-to-face time with patients. The answer? No—too expensive.
So we offered to pay for them out-of-pocket. They still said no.
Then, when we proposed using AI-powered scribes—a solution that every other major organization in the Treasure Valley was implementing—Intermountain continued to drag their feet.
Their refusal to adapt not only worsened physician burnout but also directly impacted patient care.
Treasure Valley Orthopedics: A New Beginning
When Saltzer Health shut down, many physicians left, and understandably so. But I was too stubborn to leave.
Instead, I decided to reinvest in the community that Saltzer had served for over six decades.
I leased the exact same footprint where my orthopedic practice had operated under Saltzer Health. I purchased the radiology equipment, exam tables, chairs, and everything else needed to continue serving patients.
And because we were now independent, we could immediately implement the changes Intermountain refused to consider.
On day one, at Treasure Valley Orthopedics:
✅ We implemented biometric fingerprint readers for instant, secure access to patient charts.
✅ We integrated AI-powered scribes to reduce documentation burden and maximize patient interaction time.
✅ We made patient care—not bureaucracy—the priority.
Independent Medicine Matters
The closure of Saltzer Health was a harsh reminder that large healthcare systems prioritize financial bottom lines over patient care. But it also proved something equally important: independent medicine is still viable—and often better.
Saltzer Health may be gone, but its legacy of patient-focused care continues through independent practices like Treasure Valley Orthopedics.
We are here to stay—because when healthcare is led by physicians, patients always come first.