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.
Eavey J, Ramaprasan A, Abraham L, Buist DS. Comorbidity index score increases due to coding artifacts. Epidemiology. 2019 Nov 20. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001142. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Winer RL, Lin J, Tiro JA, Miglioretti DL, Beatty T, Gao H, Kimbel K, Thayer C, Buist DSM. Effect of mailed human papillomavirus test kits vs usual care reminders on cervical cancer screening uptake, precancer detection, and treatment: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(11):e1914729. Epub 2019/11/07. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14729. PubMed
Masoudi FA, Viragh T, Magid DJ, Moghtaderi A, Schilsky S, Sage WM, Goodrich G, Newton KM, Smith DH, Black B. Trends in Medicare payment rates for noninvasive cardiac tests and association with testing location. JAMA Intern Med. 2019 Oct 14. pii: 2753121. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.4269. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Grossman DC, Choucair B. Violence and the US health care sector: burden and response. Health Aff (Millwood). 2019 Oct;38(10):1638-1645. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00642. PubMed
Schmidt KF, Schwarzkopf D, Baldwin LM, Brunkhorst FM, Freytag A, Heintze C, Reinhart K, Schneider N, von Korff M, Worrack S, Wensing M, Gensichen J. Long-term courses of sepsis survivors: effects of a primary care management intervention. Am J Med. 2020 Mar;133(3):381-385.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.08.033. Epub 2019 Sep 13. 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