In the heart of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, St. John’s Health stands as a beacon of care for both its local community and millions of visitors each year. But what truly sets this hospital apart is not just its scenic location or its range of services; it is the way its IT and clinical teams collaborate to deliver secure, modern, and compassionate healthcare. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with two members of the St. John’s Health community, Tyler Wurtenbruch and Emily Graham, at our recent Tech Summit, to discuss the partnership between St. John’s Health and Connection—and how we collaboratively solve St. John’s Health’s IT challenges.
Serving a Unique Community
St. John’s Health is a small community hospital nestled in the Tetons, offering 49 acute care beds, 52 long-term care beds, inpatient rehab, a transitional care unit, and 13 outpatient clinics. Emily Graham, Informatics Supervisor at St. John’s Health, says the hospital serves about 20,000 residents in the town and surrounding areas, and sees about 3 million visitors a year. This unique blend of residents and visitors requires the hospital to be prepared for everything, including seasonal increases in patients and unexpected emergencies.
IT Priorities: Security, Modernization, and Patient Experience
Managing healthcare IT requires careful coordination. Under the leadership of Tyler Wurtenbruch, Director of IT, the team oversees a wide range of responsibilities, including helpdesk support, infrastructure, and system security. Their approach is guided by several priorities, with security consistently at the forefront. Every application and endpoint device is evaluated with a security-first mindset to ensure the protection of systems and data.
But security isn’t the only challenge. St. John’s Health also contends with technical debt, as years of equipment and services require modernization. Clinical needs are evolving, and patient expectations are higher than ever. Tyler’s team is focused on modernizing interfaces and bringing in solutions that make systems not only secure but also easier for providers to deliver patient care.
Business Continuity: Planning for the Unthinkable
Cybersecurity incidents are on the rise in healthcare, and St. John’s Health has felt the pressure. Emily shares, “We’ve really tried to shore up our business continuity plans and our patient care continuity plans in the event of a downtime.” The hospital has worked hard to prepare every department for downtime, mapping out systems and processes and running drills to ensure readiness.
Protecting Patient Data: Trust at the Core
At St. John’s Health, safeguarding patient data is more than just a technical concern; it is fundamentally about maintaining trust. Emily explains that the people they serve in their close-knit community include friends, neighbors, and family members. Failing to protect their data could lead to a significant loss of trust.
Clinical and IT Teams: Bridging the Gap
One of the hospital’s strengths is the close collaboration between IT and clinical teams. Emily’s informatics team serves as a bridge, converting clinical needs into technical solutions. Tyler adds that technology now plays a larger role, and the team is starting to identify the core priorities for clinicians, specifically the critical systems that must stay operational to ensure patient care.
As healthcare evolves, patients and providers from five different generations each engage with technology in unique ways. St. John’s Health is adopting ambient listening technology through their electronic medical records system, utilizing AI to simplify documentation processes. This innovation is helping providers provide patient-centric care and reclaim several hours each day, contributing significantly to patient satisfaction and clinician work-life balance.
Cost Containment and Optimization
Budget constraints are a reality in healthcare. Tyler describes how Connection has helped St. John’s Health evaluate tools, vendors, and spending, identifying opportunities to save money and reinvest in critical areas. “That constant iteration is super important,” Tyler says.
Continuous Security Improvement
St. John’s Health regularly engages Connection for security advisory services, including point-in-time and year-long evaluations. “We’ve made significant improvement, but still identified significant gaps, which gave us clear direction on how to prioritize efforts and invest funds,” Tyler explains.
Together, Connection and St. John’s Health focus on assessments that result in projects such as vulnerability testing, resolving misconfigurations, and updating firewalls, among other initiatives. Connection’s specialists not only expand the hospital’s expertise but also guide and support the internal team, helping them build their own capabilities.
This relationship is rooted in continuous collaboration rather than quick fixes. The focus is on long-term support, proactively identifying future needs, and regularly engaging with the security team to address ongoing and emerging challenges.
The Power of Partnership
The relationship between St. John’s Health and Connection has lasted for almost twenty years, demonstrating a strong dedication from both organizations to mutual objectives and principles. Tyler points out the commitment shown by Connection’s team members over time, explaining that the continuity among individuals across various teams truly resonates with him, as their genuine care for St. John’s Health’s mission is evident. Emily adds to this sentiment, saying that the partnership is so solid and supportive that it feels as though Connection’s team is exclusively focused on their organization. This ongoing alliance allows St. John’s Health to pursue steady progress, teamwork, and forward-thinking solutions. By working in close cooperation with Connection, the hospital can set new standards for security, operational effectiveness, and the patient experience, making certain that technology consistently supports the requirements of caregivers, patients, and the larger community.
To read more about Connection’s partnership with St. John’s Health, check out our recent case study. For more information about partnering on your next healthcare IT project, or to learn more about our solutions and services, visit https://www.connection.com/healthcare Interested in joining our next healthcare Tech Summit? Join us in July 2026 in Boston—contact your Account Team for more information.
Kelly Kempf
Kelly Kempf is the Healthcare Strategy Manager for the Industry Solutions Group at Connection, Inc. Her key responsibilities are to contribute to the healthcare go-to-market strategy, support strategic client and vendor engagement, and lead healthcare training for the company. Kelly serves as a trusted advisor and vertical subject matter expert for both Connection employees and their clients, concentrating on healthcare organization business outcomes such as improving patient outcomes, clinical staff experiences and healthcare data security protocols. She also attends healthcare industry events throughout the country, representing Connection within the healthcare technology industry, and to maintain an exceptional level of healthcare industry awareness. Additionally, Kelly holds her Certified Digital Health Professional (CDH-P) Certification from CHiME. During her 11-year tenure with Connection, Kelly held roles as National Healthcare Business Development Manager for the Business Solutions Group and Professional Services Manager for the Microsoft Cloud Services Team. Prior to working at Connection, Kelly prepared for her current position by gaining experience in Business Development, Product and Project Management, Communications, and Quality Assurance in both healthcare and non-healthcare focused fields and earned her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
