Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) covers many fields, but much of what we do is health services research. That means we’re studying what really works—and what doesn't—in health care, with a focus on achieving aims including better population health, improved patient experience, and lower health care costs.
“Reducing the growth in health care spending requires improving the quality and timeliness of care and decreasing low-value care, which doesn’t improve health and may actually be harmful,” says Robert Penfold, PhD, an associate investigator at KPWHRI.
It all starts with Kaiser Permanente Washington’s learning health system, where research and practice work side by side to inform and improve each other. Researchers benefit from Kaiser Permanente Washington’s comprehensive capture of rich information about patients’ health, use of health care, and costs. Clinical leaders benefit from rigorous evaluations of novel innovations in care delivery and provider reimbursement.
“Together, we are learning what it takes to quickly translate what works into our health system—and track the long-term effects on outcomes that matter to patients, clinicians, and policymakers,” says David Arterburn, MD, MPH, a senior investigator. Here are just a few examples:
The impact of our health services research is extensive. Being part of the Kaiser Permanente system, along with our membership in the Health Care Systems Research Network, the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, and other national and international collaborations increases the size and diversity of our study populations. These connections also help KPWHRI shape care and policy beyond the Kaiser Permanente Washington system.
Henrikson NB. Experiences of social scientists in health research settings: SBM Leadership Institute. Transl Behav Med. 2020;10(4):902-904. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibaa065. PubMed
Jones SM, Henrikson NB, Panattoni L, Syrjala KL, Shankaran V. A theoretical model of financial burden after cancer diagnosis. Future Oncol. 2020 Sep 25. doi: 10.2217/fon-2020-0547. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Park S, Larson EB, Fishman P, White L, Coe NB. Differences in health care utilization, process of diabetes care, care satisfaction, and health status in patients with diabetes in Medicare Advantage versus traditional Medicare. Med Care. 2020 Nov;58(11):1004-1012. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001390. PubMed
Yeung K, Barthold D, Dusetzina SB, Basu A. Patient and plan spending after state specialty-drug out-of-pocket spending caps. N Engl J Med. 2020 Aug 6;383(6):558-566. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa1910366. PubMed
Meenan RT, Baldwin LM, Coronado GD, Schwartz M, Coury J, Petrik AF, West II, Green BB. Costs of two health insurance plan programs to mail fecal immunochemical tests to Medicare and Medicaid plan members. Popul Health Manag. 2020 Jun 29. doi: 10.1089/pop.2020.0041. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
![]() Michael L. Parchman, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation |
![]() David E. Arterburn, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, KPWHRI; Physician, Washington Permanente Medical Group, Internal Medicine |
![]() Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPHVice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington; Executive Director and Senior Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute |
![]() Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH, MACPSenior Investigator and former Executive Director, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute; Former Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington |
![]() Robert Penfold, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() James D. Ralston, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Katie Coleman, MSPHDirector, MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation; Director, Learning Health System Program |
![]() Denise M. Boudreau, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Diana S. Buist, PhD, MPHDirector of Research and Strategic Partnerships; Senior Investigator |
![]() Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute; |
![]() Jessica Chubak, PhD, MBHLSenior Investigator |
![]() Karen Wernli, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Erin J. Bowles, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Nora Henrikson, PhD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
![]() Aruna Kamineni, PhD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Melissa L. Anderson, MSBiostatistician III |
![]() Eric Johnson, MSBiostatistician II |
![]() Lorella Palazzo, PhDResearch Associate |
![]() Paula R. Blasi, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Leah Tuzzio, MPHSenior Research Associate |
![]() Cara C. Lewis, PhD, HSPPAssociate Investigator |
![]() Yates Coley, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWAssociate Investigator |
![]() Amy K. Lee, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() Lynn DeBar, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Julia J. Smith, MSBiostatistician III |
![]() Leah K. Hamilton, PhDResearch Associate II |
Douglas A. Conrad, PhD, MBA, MHA
Health Services and Dental Public Health Sciences
Center for Health Management Research
Finance and Business Economics
University of Washington (UW)
David Grembowski, PhD
Health Services and Dental Public Health Sciences
Adjunct Professor, Sociology, UW
Larry Kessler, ScD
UW Department of Health Services
Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
UW Department of Health Services; VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Excellence