Kaiser Permanente
Division of Research Spotlight
The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research conducts, publishes, and disseminates epidemiologic and health services research to improve the health and medical care of Kaiser Permanente members and society at large. We seek to understand the determinants of illness and well-being, and to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. Currently, DOR’s 550-plus staff is working on more than 350 epidemiological and health services research projects.
The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research postdoctoral research program drew one of its largest-ever classes of fellows this year, building the strength of DOR's research portfolio. Seven fellows cover fields from diet to dementia, cancer to clinical informatics, to women's and children's health, and more.
A follow-up program for Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients discharged from the hospital was associated with reduced readmissions without increased mortality, new research in the journal BMJ suggests.
Health systems could use data from routine clinical care to identify the onset of upcoming COVID-19 surges as many as 6 weeks before they occur, Kaiser Permanente researchers found in a study published in the journal BMJ Open.
Four out of 5 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who used a simplified online e-visit for a basic health concern did not need follow-up care in the following week, a new analysis finds.
Kaiser Permanente’s Vaccine Study Center is leading a key part of the national safety surveillance effort for the COVID-19 vaccines, tracking patient data for serious side effects.
Kaiser Permanente researchers' study identified top search terms in the electronic health record and analyzed the relationships among search terms. They then used these data to identify what users were looking for most – and consider how they might find it more easily.
Patients with diabetes who used the Kaiser Permanente patient portal and mobile phone app improved their diabetes management outcomes, according to an analysis published Feb. 19 in JAMA Network Open.
Diabetes, medication safety, and understanding chronic conditions are just some of the research areas a new class of postdoctoral fellows at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research will support. The 3 early-career researchers began their appointments this past year.
Erring on the side of caution, emergency physicians tend to order CT scans to evaluate appendicitis in children, “but research shows that we weren’t necessarily catching more appendicitis,” Dr. Cotton said. “CT scans are costly and expose children to ionizing radiation that can increase the risk of cancer. At the same time, emergency physicians do not want to miss an important diagnosis like appendicitis.”
The reported rates of ischemic stroke in four large studies vary substantially, creating uncertainty about the predicted benefits of anticoagulation medication, according to new findings in Annals of Internal Medicine by Kaiser Permanente researchers and colleagues.
