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Our history

Learn how our bold and pioneering approach to health care has evolved over the past 70+ years.

How it all started

Kaiser Permanente evolved from industrial health care programs for construction, shipyard, and steel mill workers for the Kaiser industrial companies during the late 1930s and 1940s. It was opened to public enrollment in July 1945.

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Book cover: 'The Story of Dr. Sydney R. Garfield - The Visionary Who Turned Sick Care into Health Care' with color illustration of Dr. Garfield.
March 6, 2020
Books and publications about Kaiser Permanente history
Medical specialist handling oxygen therapy equipment
November 8, 2019
Swords into stethoscopes — Veterans in health professions
Kaiser Permanente has hired military veterans in World War II, requiring …
Photo of a group of men seated and standing at a long table
August 28, 2019
When labor and management work side by side
From war-era labor-management committees to today’s unit-based teams, cooperat …
Newspaper article describing Edgar Kaiser’s plans for affordable housing, September 15, 1968.
August 7, 2019
Our long commitment to affordable housing
Henry J. Kaiser and his construction industries sought to create a safe …
Disc Jockey Pete Taylor in KFOG studio
August 2, 2019
Thriving with 1960s-launched KFOG radio
The "Baby in the Drawer" hospital room from 1953
July 31, 2019
‘Baby in the drawer’ helped turn the tide for breastfeeding
This innovation in rooming-in allowed newborns to stay close to mothers …
2013 San Francisco Pride march, with Jim Best (foreground) and Gregory A. Adams (Executive Vice President and Group President, on float); photo by Ces Rosales
June 5, 2019
Breaking LGBT barriers for Kaiser Permanente employees
“We managed to ultimately break through that barrier.” – Kaiser Permanente …
Eastine Cowner, a scaler at Kaiser Richmond Shipyard, working on Liberty ship SS George Washington Carver
May 14, 2019
Rosies land at Normandy!
Kaiser Permanente honors the pioneering women from our World War II-era …
Historical image of a female welder at work during World War II.
March 29, 2019
Equal pay for equal work
Bill Coggins with Core Mothers Group
February 25, 2019
‘Core Mothers’ inspired community health program in Los Angeles
4 young 70s era women nursing students standing in front of a large mobile health van with a sign that reads "podiatry clinic"
February 5, 2019
Mobile clinics: 'Health on wheels'
Training women welders at Hog Island, 1918; Photo from NARA https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/hog-island/#13236
January 23, 2019
The first women industrial welders weren’t Rosies
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