Innovative Collaboration to Address Shared Challenges in Health Care

Kaiser Permanente joins Veterans Affairs Center for Innovation Partnerships Program

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Feb 03, 2014, 03:14 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., and WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Together, the Veterans Health Administration and Kaiser Permanente provide care and service to nearly 18 million Americans. Today the two organizations announced they will pool resources and ideas to solve some of the largest and most complex challenges in health care.

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As part of the Veterans Affairs Center of Innovation Partnership Program, the two organizations will research and share best practices in four specific areas:

Connected health and virtual care
Genomics
Care of patients who are veterans and also members of Kaiser Permanente
Advanced analytics to leverage innovative uses of large data sets and population management

"We are eager to continue to redesign the experience of our veterans seeking health care to increase ease of access and quality of services," said Patrick Littlefield, director of the VA Center for Innovation. "We're excited about this partnership to make way for useful and tangible outputs."

VA and Kaiser Permanente will pursue publication as appropriate to share findings with the health care industry as best practices are developed. This partnership will not only advance health care for VA and Kaiser Permanente patients, but also will provide better health outcomes for all patients.

"Kaiser Permanente is proud to expand our collaboration with VA and tackle some of the biggest challenges in the areas of health care delivery, patient engagement, and spreading best practices," said Jed Weissberg, MD, senior vice president, Hospitals, Quality and Care Delivery Excellence, Kaiser Permanente. "At Kaiser Permanente, we are committed to transforming health care by seeking and learning, practicing and doing. Part of this commitment includes looking at partnerships and investing in new ideas and technologies that will allow us to deliver improved patient outcomes and to create better experiences for our members and their families."

"The Department of Veterans Affairs continuously seeks opportunities for collaboration with the private sector and the Department of Defense to enhance care for veterans," said Madhulika Agarwal, MD, MPH, deputy undersecretary for Health for Policy and Services for the Department of Veterans Affairs. "We are proud to join in this mutually beneficial partnership with Kaiser Permanente; together we will focus on enhanced coordination of care for our veteran patients, connected health care as well as advanced analytics and genomic medicine."

This is not the first major collaboration between the two organizations. In 2010, Kaiser Permanente and VA launched a pilot program to exchange medical data using the Nationwide Health Information Network. The innovative pilot, launched in 2009, allows clinicians from both organizations to obtain a more comprehensive view of a patient's health record using electronic health record information, including information about health issues, medications and allergies. This pilot set the stage for VA Exchange capability that is currently available at 121 VA medical center locations nationwide with 14 private partners.

About the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration
VA operates the largest integrated health care delivery system in America, with a mission to honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.VA provides a broad range of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services.VA is also the Nation's largest integrated provider of health care education and training for physician residents and other health care trainees. VA advances medical research and development in areas that most directly address the diseases and conditions that affect Veterans and eligible beneficiaries.

The VA Center for Innovation represents VA's commitment to continuous innovation and, through its partnership program, is designed to support exchanges between VA and similar organizations to address shared challenges. To learn more, go to www.innovation.va.gov.

VA administers compensation benefits, pension benefits, fiduciary services, education benefits, vocational rehabilitation and employment services, transition services, and home loan and life insurance programs. VA operates the largest national cemetery system honoring Veterans and eligible beneficiaries and their families with final resting places in national shrines, and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and sacrifice to our Nation. To learn more, go to www.va.gov.

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, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 9.1 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal 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. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

Contact: Yasmin Staton: 510-625-3659

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente