CommonSpirit honored as exceptional leader in telehealth for Virtually Integrated Care program

CommonSpirit Health was recognized by the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) with the 2025 ATA Nexus Transformational Leadership Award for its Virtual Integrated Care (VIC) model.

The award honors individuals and organizations that have significantly advanced the adoption of virtual care. 

“Our annual leadership awards honor the outstanding individuals and organizations who

are stewards of a new frontier of medicine, leading with integrity and a clear vision for

technology-enabled care,” said Nathaniel Lacktman, Board Chair of the ATA. “This year’s awards recipients have made significant contributions to our industry, and to the ATA — shaping the future of telemedicine through innovation, dedication, and impact.”

Of CommonSpirit’s VIC model, ATA said, “Through bold vision and system-wide innovation, CommonSpirit Health is reimagining care delivery — integrating digital solutions that enhance coordination, streamline clinical workflows, and elevate patient engagement at scale. Their digital-first approach is setting a new benchmark for impactful, tech-enabled care.”

CommonSpirit’s VIC program brings assistance to the bedside care team via computer technology. VIC nurses work closely with bedside clinical nurses and other healthcare providers to deliver comprehensive patient- and family-centered care. They collaborate with the bedside team to implement safety measures and elevate the standard of care. VIC currently serves 10 facilities in the Central, South, and Northwest regions, with plans to add more in the future.

“From hospital to home, the Virtually Integrated Care program is transforming nursing and interprofessional collaboration — advancing equity, driving innovation, and delivering coordinated, patient-centered care that improves outcomes, accelerates healing, reduces waste, and elevates the value of care across our health system,” said Julie Tuel, MSN, RN, System Vice President of Virtual Care Nursing Practice Transformation. “I’m grateful the American Telemedicine Association has recognized the great work our team is doing.”

CommonSpirit nurse Denise Pimintel, RN, MN, System Manager of Telehealth Clinical, was also recognized by the ATA with the Acute and Critical Care Special Interest Group Leadership Award.

The American Telemedicine Association represents a broad member network of leading healthcare delivery systems, academic institutions, life sciences companies, technology solution providers and payers, as well as partner organizations and alliances, working to advance industry adoption of technology-enabled care, promote responsible policy, advocate for government and market normalization, and provide education and resources to help integrate virtual care into emerging value-based delivery models.