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.
Melnikow J, Xing G, Cox G, Leigh P, Mills L, Miglioretti DL, Moghadassi M, Smith-Bindman R. Cost analysis of the STONE randomized trial: can health care costs be reduced one test at a time? Med Care. 2016 Jan 12. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Cherkin D, Balderson B, Brewer G, Cook A, Estlin KT, Evers SC, Foster NE, Hill JC, Hawkes R, Hsu C, Jensen M, LaPorte AM, Levine MD, Piekara D, Rock P, Sherman K, Sowden G, Wellman R, Yeoman J. Evaluation of a risk-stratification strategy to improve primary care for low back pain: the MATCH cluster randomized trial protocol. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016 Aug 24;17(1):361. doi: 10.1186/s12891-016-1219-0. PubMed
Paolino AR, McGlynn EA, Lieu T, Nelson AF, Prausnitz S, Horberg MA, Arterburn DE, Gould MK, Laws RL, Steiner JF. Building a Governance Strategy for CER: The Patient Outcomes Research to Advance Learning (PORTAL) Network Experience. EGEMS (Wash DC). 2016 Mar 28;4(2):1216. doi: 10.13063/2327-9214.1216. eCollection 2016. PubMed
Chang E, Buist DS, Handley M, Pardee R, Gundersen G, Reid RJ. Physician service attribution methods for examining provision of low-value care. eGEMS (Wash DC). 2017 Jan 13;4(1):1276. doi: 10.13063/2327-9214.1276. eCollection 2016. PubMed
Buist DS, Chang E, Handley M, Pardee R, Gundersen G, Cheadle A, Reid RJ. Primary care clinicians' perspectives on reducing low-value care in an integrated delivery system. Perm J. 2016 Winter;20(1):41-6. doi: 10.7812/TPP/15-086. Epub 2015 Nov 2. 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, MPHSenior Collaborative Scientist |
Yates Coley, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWSenior Scientific 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