Delivering the Right Care through Teams Supported by Technology
March 27, 2009
Improved quality must stand as a primary goal of health care reform. Universal coverage and access to care are critical to meeting this goal. The promise of improved care and service quality must guide each decision we make about how to reform health care. Kaiser Permanente believes that to achieve high-quality care, we must fundamentally reform how health care is paid for and delivered.
A reformed health delivery system, dedicated to quality outcomes, must be based on care coordinated by the right teams of people who are supported by the right technology and information. Integrating teams of people who expertly manage our health needs, and equipping them with tools that provide real-time data and inform medical decisions will yield efficient and effective quality care for patients. Empowered and coordinated health teams are best positioned to manage and improve care while simultaneously reducing health costs.
The current focus on installing electronic health records in provider offices is an important first step in transforming the care delivery process. To be effective, the focus must include the way that technology is used. The integration and optimization of IT systems are dependent on people. The willingness of users to explore new ways to use technology to its full potential may ultimately determine whether the system succeeds or fails. Policy makers must invest in IT implementation and ensure that health care workers are encouraged to redesign work processes and use the technology in ways that will truly transform delivery of care.
Kaiser Permanente is demonstrating how professional, well-trained care teams equipped with health information technology can innovate and collaborate to improve care. Early on, leaders throughout the organization recognized that Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect™ (the world's largest civilian electronic health record, containing medical information for nearly 9 million Americans) would transform the way Kaiser Permanente delivers health care and fundamentally change the way Kaiser Permanente members receive care and service. Through our unique partnership among health plan, hospitals, medical groups and unions, the organization has achieved strong adoption rates and fostered ongoing innovation that has resulted in demonstrable improvements in quality of care.
National and regional teams continue to work collaboratively to address the needs and concerns of KP HealthConnect end–users, creating new delivery team processes that have improved care for conditions such as coronary artery disease and breast cancer, and have enhanced the overall patient experience. A continuous culture of learning on the front lines of care delivery has maximized the value of the KP HealthConnect technology.
To learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s use of electronic health information, visit http://kp.org/future.
