Kaiser Permanente Leads the Way in California Health Plan Report Card
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PASADENA, Calif., Nov 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Kaiser Permanente received the most stars in the just released HMO Quality Report from the California Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA). Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region and Northern California Region each received seven of eight possible stars in the report — more than any other health plan.
The two Kaiser Permanente plans were the only California health plans to receive an excellent rating, four stars, for meeting national clinical quality goals. The Northern California Region scored 32 of 36 possible stars, followed closely by Southern California with 30 stars–the only two health plans to earn 30 stars or more in the nine clinical measures cited by the OPA.
For example, Kaiser Permanente earned the most stars, an excellent rating, in the Checking for Cancer At-a-Glance category. Screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer helps doctors detect the disease early when it is most treatable. “We know that we are saving lives with our proactive cancer screening program,” said Jeffrey Weisz, MD, executive medical director and chairman of the board of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, the doctors who care for Kaiser Permanente members. “Our physicians and all the members of the health care team are focused on helping our members to live healthy lives,” added Dr. Weisz.
Doctors from the Southern California Permanente Medical Group received excellent ratings for clinical quality in each of ten Southern California areas cited in the report. In the overall physician group ratings, the Southern California Permanente Medical Groups earned the most stars in nine areas and were second in the other area.
“Another critical factor in this success is our ability to harness the power of the electronic medical record system, KP HealthConnect. This tool is now in place throughout Southern California, enabling us to bring 21st century medical care and prevention to our members,” said Benjamin Chu, MD, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region. “It’s not just the technology, but the caring and compassion of our health care team that produced this great result. Our patients are the real winners in this report,” he said.
Kaiser Permanente is America’s leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.2 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region includes nearly 50,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,000 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at www.kaiserpermanente.org.
SOURCE: Kaiser Permanente
Copyright Business Wire 2008
