Top-ranked for quality care in Washington state

SEATTLE — Washington Permanente Medical Group, part of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, has earned the top ranking for overall quality of care and is among the top-ranked for lower cost, according to the Washington Health Alliance 2024 Community Checkup. The ranking affirms Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care and coverage.

The Washington Health Alliance 2024 Community Checkup report¹ measures the quality and value of health care delivered across Washington and compares metrics related to performance nationally.

“For the 17th consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente Washington was recognized for the high-quality care it provides to our members,” said Angela Dowling, regional president for Kaiser Permanente Washington. “We know that our patients across Washington have choices, and we’re committed to delivering value in both high-quality care and lower cost for our members when they choose Kaiser Permanente health plans.”

“To be consistently recognized for top-ranked care by the Washington Health Alliance gives our members confidence that they’re receiving the highest quality and more affordable care when they come to see us,” said Linda Tolbert, MD, chief executive officer and executive medical director of Washington Permanente Medical Group. “We’re honored to be recognized for quality and cost by the Washington Health Alliance, and we’ll continue to deliver on this high-value care for the patients we serve.”

In the commercial category, Kaiser Permanente Washington and Washington Permanente Medical Group’s score indicates that it would outperform 77% of the other organizations and facilities.

By pairing the Quality Composite Score (QCS) and Total Cost of Care (TCoC)², the Washington Health Alliance now can share a first-ever blended quality-and-cost score, which offers a glance at value directly based on those two measures.

Kaiser Permanente Washington and Washington Permanente Medical Group ranked first in the Quality Composite Score, and were among the top-ranked for Total Cost of Care, which measures:

• Prevention and screening (timeliness of recommended services such as well-child visits, adolescent well-care visits, and screenings for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers)
• Care for chronic diseases (how conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, and hypertension are managed)
• Coordinated, cost-effective care (whether care avoids costly inpatient readmissions and unnecessary emergency department visits)
• Appropriate, cost-effective care (a variety of measures including prescribing generic medications, avoiding inappropriate use of antibiotics, and avoiding unnecessary X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans for specific types of low-back pain)

“Kaiser Permanente Washington continues to set the bar for quality of care in the state. Not only did the Washington Permanente Medical Group rank the highest for quality in our 2024 Community Checkup, but many of its clinics were also top performers in areas that have a positive impact on the health and well-being of Washington residents," said Drew Oliveira, MD, MHA, executive director of the Washington Health Alliance. "Kaiser Permanente Washington remains an important partner as the Alliance and its members work to ensure all Washingtonians have access to equitable, high-quality care at a reasonable cost."

^1,2Washington Health Alliance 2008 to 2024 Community Checkup: The 2017 to 2024 rankings apply to Kaiser Permanente Washington’s medical group, Washington Permanente Medical Group, P.C. Ranking for years prior to 2017 apply to the then-named Group Health Cooperative’s medical group, formerly named Group Health Permanente, P.C. and now named Washington Permanente Medical Group, P.C. https://www.wacommunitycheckup.org/highlights/