Press Releases: Colorado
September 24, 2010
Kaiser Permanente Colorado Wins Two Top ‘Champions in Health Care’ Awards From the Denver Business Journal
DENVER — Kaiser Permanente Colorado received two top honors in the Denver Business Journal’s Champions in Health Care awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding health care professionals in the community, were given at an event on Sept. 23.
Kaiser Permanente endocrinologist and lipidologist John Merenich, MD won the award in the Innovation category for his work developing Kaiser Permanente’s Health Tracking Registry and Alert Companion. The unique computer program allows physicians and nurses to identify and track patients who have been diagnosed with specific conditions. Rather than waiting for a patient to seek medical help — which can be costly, inefficient and potentially deadly — Dr. Merenich’s program empowers medical teams to find and identify patients who are likely in need of help.
In addition, Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s Community Benefit team won the award in the Large Facility category. The unique group of physician leaders, public policy and public health experts works to improve the health of all Coloradans by creating environments where people can easily make healthy choices. The team focuses on improving access to healthy foods and safe routes to school, providing medical care for underserved patients, and promoting transportation choices that help people live healthier, more active lives.
Eric France, MD, chief of Kaiser Permanente Colorado Population and Prevention Services and Sandra Stenmark, MD, pediatrician and physician lead of Community Health Initiatives, are both actively involved in Kaiser Permanente’s community benefit work.
Dr. France sits on the board of the Denver B-Cycle program, one of the largest bike-share programs in the nation. He also co-chaired the Living Streets Initiative, helping the city of Denver to develop policies that make the city more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly.
Dr. Stenmark is actively involved in the fight against childhood obesity. She sits on the local and national boards of Safe Routes to School, and is a member of the state steering committee, Health Team Works, which will establish guidelines for preventing and treating childhood obesity.
Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s Associate Medical Director Bill Marsh, MD was also recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a Champions in Health Care finalist for his vision, outstanding leadership and professional accomplishments.
Read more about the Champions in Health Care awards in the Denver Business Journal.
About Kaiser Permanente Colorado
Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state’s largest nonprofit health plan, proudly working to improve the lives and health of Denver, Boulder, and southern Colorado area residents for 40 years. Kaiser Permanente Colorado provides comprehensive health care services to more than 515,000 members through 20 medical offices and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The health plan was recently named “Highest in Member Satisfaction” among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates for the third straight year. Kaiser Permanente was also named the top-ranked private health plan in Colorado and No. 9 in the nation for quality and member satisfaction by NCQA. In 2009, Kaiser Permanente proudly directed more than $82 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/newscenter or follow us on twitter @kpcolorado or facebook.com/kpcolorado.