High-quality, equitable care
Providing high-quality, culturally responsive care so our members can achieve the best possible health outcomes is central to our mission. We apply practices to identify and eliminate inequities — from how we deliver care and conduct research to how we design buildings.
Addressing disparities and inequities
Our model, which provides both care and coverage, and our coordinated approach to delivering care have made us a leader in addressing health disparities among our members and communities. Because we take care of nearly all our members’ needs and record all patient care interactions in our electronic health record system, we can identify differences in health outcomes among different groups.
Within our connected system of care, our clinicians have access to the latest clinical and scientific evidence that makes it easy to provide the care our members need, when they need it. This information is regularly reviewed and updated to support the best health outcomes for everyone. These systems help reduce variation in how we deliver care across groups of people and ensure that we deliver the outcomes that matter to our members.
We continue to advance our work by making equity a critical part of how we measure and report on the quality of care we provide to our members. We invite other health organizations and policymakers to join us in this work. Together we can identify how to achieve the best possible health outcomes for all.
Advancing knowledge
Our research teams are at the forefront of examining how innovations in care delivery can address disparities and inequities. Our large, diverse, and long-term membership enables us to study groups who are often underrepresented in research. This helps ensure the treatments and protocols we develop are safe and effective for everyone.
Learn how our research contributes to a better understanding of how to address inequities.
Expanding access
Equal access to care, including telehealth, is central to our mission of providing high-quality care to everyone, regardless of who they are, where they live, or what languages they speak.
By broadening access to care and expanding clinician reach to underserved communities, telehealth can help bridge gaps for vulnerable populations.
Currently, over 31 percent of Kaiser Permanente’s ambulatory care visits are virtual, which is about triple the industry average.
Real-time interpreter services are available in 40 languages during phone and video visits to ensure that all members have access to the same high-quality, personalized care regardless of how they choose to connect with their care team.
Medical assistants also serve to bridge the digital divide by helping members connect successfully to video visits, which our research shows is especially beneficial for those who need language interpretation or live in a low socioeconomic status neighborhood.
Social health
We partner with communities to address the biggest factors that shape people’s health. We routinely screen members for social needs—such as housing, food, and income support—and connect them to community-based programs and public benefits to support total health. Through our community health efforts, we also support community-based organizations, and clinics that provide support to underserved communities.
Through our community health grants, we provide more options for people who need help to get care.
Safety-net support
Increasing care service capacity for community clinics
Medical financial assistance
Reducing medical costs for patients with low incomes
Community Support Hub
Connecting people to resources for food, housing, transportation, and more