Kaiser Permanente thrive » health-care-system

Thrive Campaign

admin10kavesian — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:50:30 +0000

Launched in 2004, the Thrive campaign embodies Kaiser Permanente's commitment to total health. Our integrated health care delivery system and commitment to preventive care empowers our members to maximize their total health - mind, body, and spirit.

Television Ads

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Radio Ads

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Print Ads

Outdoor Ads

Electronic health records save patients time and money

admin11kcesarz — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:55:20 +0000

One of the most radical ways to reform health care is probably the least controversial.

Electronic health records are saving both time and money while revolutionizing and improving the way we treat you when you need care. Following are just some of the benefits of electronic health records:

Efficiency
• Diagnosis and treatment written down on paper can sometimes be hard to read or can be incomplete. Having your total medical history (including all your prescribed medications, for example) can often be the key to solving a medical puzzle.

Coordination
• Electronic records mean doctors can communicate more easily, improving diagnosis and the quality of care. For example, your family doctor can share vital information with a specialist (or number of specialists), saving you time in the office or maybe even your life in an emergency.

Safety
• Without electronic medical records, every time you go to a doctor's office you have to fill out new forms that include personal information. Every time that paperwork is handed back and forth or moved from office to office there is a chance that your private information might be compromised.

Portability
• If you move or change jobs, electronic health records make it easier for your medical history to go with you. And if your doctor retires or changes practice, those records won't get lost in the shuffle.

Empowerment
• Having access to important parts of your own health record when you want them will help you make vital decisions, such as treatment options, and stay informed so you can get well and stay well.

Learn more about our electronic health record.

Green and thriving in the community

admin11kcesarz — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:06:51 +0000

Since the beginnings of the environmental movement in the early 1960s, we’ve been dedicated to "greening" our organization and helping others do the same.

Our Modesto Medical Center, which opened last fall, is one example of our effort to be environmentally conscious. Nationally recognized as one of the "greenest" health care facilities in North America, this 670,000-square-foot facility—situated amid farms and orchards—features materials that reduce energy use as well as earth-friendly furnishings and fixtures.

Other green features include:

Strategically designed windows and skylights that maximize natural sunlight, which also promotes better health.
Our fully functioning electronic health record, which eliminates the need for paper files.
Permeable paving in the parking area, which filters rainwater and prevents runoff into sewers.
Rubber flooring that doesn’t release toxins or require harsh chemicals to maintain.
Rooftop solar panels that generate enough electricity to power 50 homes.

Watch the video and take a tour of the Modesto Medical Center.

Our commitment to your total health

admin11kcesarz — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:50:11 +0000

To thrive is to achieve total health—in mind, body, and spirit. At Kaiser Permanente, our mission is to help you do just that.

Some people need information on exercise and fitness. Others want tips on healthy cooking and eating. Whatever it is you seek, we’re here to help you discover the various ways to live a healthy life.

“We want consumers to understand who we are and what we stand for,” says Debbie Cantu, vice president, Brand Marketing and Advertising. “We strive to reflect the world we live in today. ‘Thrive’ is the embodiment of how we care for our members. When we say ‘may you live long and thrive,’ we really mean it.”

At Kaiser Permanente, we encourage everyone to invest in their overall wellness so they can thrive. We’ve even created a new television commercial to inspire people to invest in their most important asset—themselves.

View our “Invest” commercial to see how you can take stock in your wellness.

Electronic health records save lives

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:24:05 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Putting an end to paper medical records does more than save trees. Research¹ shows that the health of high-risk patients is improved when doctors can review electronic health records and get a head start on providing treatment options.

Electronic records² can save lives when seconds count, and what we’ve learned from them has led to important medical discoveries.

Kaiser Permanente has long recognized the value of electronic records, and our new television commercial highlights some of the key benefits.

1 Electronic health records improve chronic disease management

2 Kaiser Permanente Northwest recognized for work to prevent heart attacks

Exploring best practices in health care reform

admin11kcesarz — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:35:58 +0000

The road to high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans may be bumpy in Washington, D.C., but across the country groups are coming together to improve outcomes and lower costs.

Teamwork, technology, and coordinated care were the topics of a national forum hosted by the Kaiser Permanente Health Care Institute and the National Labor College.

"As a nation, we need to improve access to care, reduce costs, and ensure quality care for all," said George Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente. "Team-based care, supported by technology, is essential to achieving that vision."

Read how we are working to lower costs and improve patient care.

Speaking out on health care reform

admin11kcesarz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:14:37 +0000

Health care reform is one of the most complex issues of our times. But it's important that we have an understanding of what is happening and how it affects us. Here are simple principles to guide us — from affordable universal coverage and consumer choice to wellness and prevention, learn where we stand in this great debate.

Lack of health care for millions causes more sickness for Americans

admin10kavesian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:36:16 +0000

That millions of Americans lack good health care due to “racial and ethnic disparities in health care is shocking in a society committed to equality,” says George C. Halvorson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals.

Kaiser Permanente recently published several ads that label the issue a national disgrace and urge lawmakers to do something about it.

The ads, which focus on health care disparities in the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander communities, note that Americans spend $2.5 trillion on health care and yet millions of uninsured Americans avoid care and get sick solely because they lack coverage.

Learn more about what you can do to end health care disparities in America.

Electronic medical records can mean life or death for patients

admin10kavesian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:22:37 +0000

There’s been a lot more talk recently about electronic medical records and their value to the health care system. But how might these records affect your care?

Hear Robert Pearl, Executive Director and CEO, The Permanente Medical Group, Northern California, talk about how these records can improve patient care in an interview with station KQED.

Are health care inequalities making Americans sick?

admin10kavesian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:38:52 +0000

You might believe that no factors impact your health as much as your personal behaviors, genes, and the quality of your medical care. However, research has found that the social conditions in which we live and work affect health and longevity far more. That’s why having thriving communities is so important.

A groundbreaking PBS documentary looks at how issues of wealth, power, and privilege contribute to ongoing health problems. In fact, the United States spends $2 trillion a year on health care, yet ranks 30th in life expectancy among industrialized nations.

“There are ways in which our society is organized that are bad for our health,” says Nicolas Christakis, MD. “And there’s no doubt that we could reconfigure ourselves in ways that would benefit our health.” Meanwhile, epidemiologist Ichiro Kawachi, MD, points out that factors such as health care can only affect so much. “Health care can deal with the diseases and illnesses — but the lack of health care is not the cause of illness and disease,” he says. “It is like saying since aspirin cures a fever, the lack of aspirin must be the cause of the fever.”

View a preview of this documentary to learn how our social environments can trump even medical care, behaviors, and genes when it comes to our health.