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
Thakral M, Von Korff M, McCurry SM, Morin CM, Vitiello MV. ISI-3: evaluation of a brief screening tool for insomnia. Sleep Med. 2021 Jun;82:104-109. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2020.08.027. Epub 2020 Aug 27. 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
![]() Michael L. Parchman, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, ACT Center |
![]() David E. Arterburn, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPHExecutive Director and Senior Investigator, KPWHRI; Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington |
![]() Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH, MACPSenior Investigator and former Executive Director, KPWHRI; Former Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, KPWA |
![]() Robert Penfold, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() James D. Ralston, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Katie Coleman, MSPHDirector, Collaborative Science; Director, ACT Center |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Jessica Chubak, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Karen Wernli, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Erin J. Bowles, MPHManager, Collaborative Science |
![]() Nora Henrikson, PhD, MPHAssociate Investigator |
![]() Aruna Kamineni, PhD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Melissa L. Anderson, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Eric Johnson, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Lorella Palazzo, PhDCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Paula R. Blasi, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Cara C. Lewis, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Yates Coley, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWAssociate Investigator |
![]() Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() Lynn DeBar, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Julia J. Smith, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Leah K. Hamilton, PhDCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Chloe Krakauer, PhDCollaborative Biostatistician 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