LHS Program capabilities

The LHS Program's 6 core capabilities

Within Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI), we have access to robust scientific capabilities we can use to promote continuous learning and improvement. Here is a summary of the LHS Program's 6 core capabilities and how we use them to learn from research, our patients, our clinicians, and our staff:

Leveraging advanced analytics to inform decision making and build cutting-edge solutions

By tapping into KPWHRI's sophisticated data capabilities and analytic expertise, we push the boundaries of machine learning and predict ways to improve care for our members, introduce efficiencies, and reduce cost. Examples include: Using predictive analytics to prevent hospitalizations, avoid missed appointments, and increase flu vaccinations in high-risk members.

Using state-of-the-art methods to support implementation and translate evidence into practice

It is not enough to know the evidence. The LHS Program brings implementation science and experience to support rapid and sustained implementation of evidence-based care through practice facilitation and other QI methods. Our implementation experts clearly define implementation activities by role, provide at-the-elbow practice support, and use effective techniques to understand implementation progress and support adoption and maintenance.

Providing content expertise in strategic consultations to help our care delivery partners answer key questions based on science

The LHS Program scans the environment, rapidly reviews research, connects partners across silos, and provides expert consultation to help identify, prioritize, and scope emerging opportunities.

Bringing people together to cultivate ideas that add value for our members

Front line staff and managers have a unique vantage point on the opportunities for improvement in our system. The LHS Program makes it possible to identify, develop, pilot test, and evaluate promising value-creation ideas that emerge from front line staff, managers, and leaders. Ideas are vetted for congruence with strategic priorities, then funded as pilot programs and given technical assistance—from design and implementation to evaluation. Promising value creation opportunities are served up to leaders for prioritization and widespread implementation.

Using rapid, actionable data to assess impact

Do the changes we make and programs we put in place make a difference for our members? We learn  how changes  impact care and costs by conducting evaluations of various initiatives in Primary Care, Specialty Care, and Care Delivery IT. This work offers decision makers actionable insight into the benefits and unintended consequences of promising programs to improve implementation and maximize benefit.

Engage patients and families to design solutions that generate better outcomes

Using evidence-based patient engagement strategies, the LHS Program helps Kaiser Permanente Washington understand and support member engagement across care delivery, quality improvement, and strategic direction setting.

Contact us

For more information about Kaiser Permanente Washington's Learning Health System Program, please email us at KPWALHS@kp.org.