Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) covers many fields, but much of what we do is health services research. That means we’re studying what really works — and what doesn't — in health care, with a focus on achieving aims including better population health, improved patient experience, and lower health care costs.
It all starts with Kaiser Permanente Washington’s learning health system, where research and practice work side by side to inform and improve each other. Researchers benefit from Kaiser Permanente Washington’s comprehensive capture of rich information about patients’ health, use of health care, and costs. Clinical leaders benefit from rigorous evaluations of novel innovations in care delivery and provider reimbursement.
“Together, we are learning what it takes to quickly translate what works into our health system — and track the long-term effects on outcomes that matter to patients, clinicians, and policymakers,” said David Arterburn, MD, MPH, a senior investigator. Here are just a few examples:
The impact of our health services research is extensive. Being part of the Kaiser Permanente system, along with our membership in the Health Care Systems Research Network, the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, and other national and international collaborations increases the size and diversity of our study populations. These connections also help KPWHRI shape care and policy beyond the Kaiser Permanente Washington system.
Coleman K, Phillips KE, Van Borkulo N, Daniel D, Johnson KE, Wagner EH, Sugarman JR. Unlocking the black box: supporting practices to become patient-centered medical homes. Med Care. 2014 Nov;52 Suppl 4:S11-7. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000190.
Boudreau DM, Guzauskas GF, Chen E, Lalla D, Tayama D, Fagan SC, Veenstra DL. Cost-effectiveness of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator within 3 hours of acute ischemic stroke: current evidence. Stroke. 2014;45(10):3032-9. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.005852. Epub 2014 Sep 4. PubMed
Parks ML, Hebert-Beirne J, Rojas M, Tuzzio L, Nelson CL, Boutin-Foster C. A qualitative study of factors underlying decision making for joint replacement among African Americans and Latinos with osteoarthritis. J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2014;24(2-3):205-12.
Smith-Bindman R, Aubin C, Bailitz J, Bengiamin RN, Camargo CA Jr, Corbo J, Dean AJ, Goldstein RB, Griffey RT, Jay GD, Kang TL, Kriesel DR, Ma OJ, Mallin M, Manson W, Melnikow J, Miglioretti DL, Miller SK, Mills LD, Miner JR, Moghadassi M, Noble VE, Press GM, Stoller ML, Valencia VE, Wang J, Wang RC, Cummings SR. Ultrasonography versus computed tomography for suspected nephrolithiasis. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(12):1100-10. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1404446. PubMed
Talamantes E, Moreno G, Guerrero LR, Mangione CM, Morales LS. Hablamos juntos (together we speak): a brief patient-reported measure of the quality of interpretation. Patient Relat Outcome Meas. 2014 Sep 9;5:87-92. doi: 10.2147/PROM.S68699. eCollection 2014. PubMed
![]() David E. Arterburn, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPHExecutive Director and Senior Investigator, KPWHRI; Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington |
![]() Robert Penfold, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() James D. Ralston, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Katie Coleman, MSPHDirector, ACT Center |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator; Director, ACT Center |
![]() Jessica Chubak, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Karen Wernli, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Erin J. Bowles, MPHDirector, Collaborative Science |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Melissa L. Anderson, MSPrincipal Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Eric Johnson, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Lorella Palazzo, PhDSenior Collaborative Scientist |
![]() Paula R. Blasi, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Yates Coley, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWAssociate Investigator |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHSenior Collaborative Scientist |
![]() Leah K. Hamilton, PhDSenior Collaborative Scientist |
![]() Chloe Krakauer, PhDCollaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Claire Allen, MPHManager, Collaborative Science |
![]() Theresa E. Matson, PhD, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Nora Henrikson, PhD, MPHAssociate Investigator |
Douglas A. Conrad, PhD, MBA, MHA
Health Services and Dental Public Health Sciences
Center for Health Management Research
Finance and Business Economics
University of Washington (UW)
David Grembowski, PhD
Health Services and Dental Public Health Sciences
Adjunct Professor, Sociology, UW
Larry Kessler, ScD
UW Department of Health Services
Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
UW Department of Health Services; VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Excellence