March 23, 2023
MS care leader recognized for vision and expertise
Kaiser Permanente congratulates Neda Zarghami Esfahani, MD, for her inclusion in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s prestigious 40 Under 40 list.
Dr. Neda Zarghami Esfahani, medical director, Kaiser Permanente Washington Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Center
SEATTLE — Neda Zarghami Esfahani, MD, of Kaiser Permanente Washington has been named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. This prestigious award honors people under the age of 40 who stand out in their respective industry for their bold leadership and groundbreaking work.
Dr. Zarghami Esfhani is recognized by Puget Sound Business Journal for her leadership and efforts to have Kaiser Permanente Washington named a Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Center by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Center designation is given to health care providers with expertise and experience in treating patients with MS that prove to be able to deliver the high level of multidisciplinary care required for this patient population. Through her vision, Dr. Zarghami Esfahani led the effort to build a multidisciplinary MS clinic that specializes in complex care for these patients and serves as an inspiring example of creativity in clinical care.
“Thanks to Dr. Zarghami Esfahani’s leadership, the care of nearly 1,000 Kaiser Permanente patients who live with multiple sclerosis has tremendously improved,” said Michael Vaughan, MD, executive medical director of operations for Washington Permanente Medical Group. “We’re so proud to honor her achievements in medicine, and to celebrate the personal difference this program will make for the populations and patients we serve throughout Washington.”
“The innovation and personal, physician-led care that Dr. Zarghami Esfahani has demonstrated in the development and designation of the Kaiser Permanente Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Center is a hallmark of Permanente Medicine,” said Margaret Ferguson, MD, MBA, MPH, interim executive medical director of Washington Permanente Medical Group. “Dr. Zarghami Esfahani is representing the best of Kaiser Permanente’s model of integrated care by encouraging collaboration and communication among doctors and health care team members across multiple disciplines and across the state.”
MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord. It can cause problems with muscle control and strength, vision, balance, feeling, and thinking. Everyone’s experience with MS is different, but it is a life-changing disease that impacts mobility and can result in severe disability and changes in emotional and physical health.
The Comprehensive MS Care Center is accessible through Kaiser Permanente’s virtual care offerings, 30 primary care locations, and 4 specialty care facilities statewide. This broad access ensures that patients living in more rural or remote areas have access to an MS subspecialist’s expertise and the same level of specialty MS care found in major care centers. Patients with MS receive assistance with all aspects of their care, from neurology appointments, mental health care, and medication management support to nutrition and physical therapy.
Dr. Zarghami Esfahani will be honored at a reception in April for Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 award recipients.
2023 marks the 25th annual Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 awards, which recognize local leaders across industries who are helping shape the Puget Sound region for the better. This year’s honorees come from a variety of industries and represent companies of various sizes and stages that reflect the diversity of the Puget Sound region's business community.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.
