To deliver the best care to patients, Kaiser Permanente Northwest health system leaders rely on the KP Center for Health Research. CHR’s Learning Health System (LHS) Team supports the KPNW health plan with a broad range of projects. The team responds to requests from health plan leaders and gathers evidence in real-time to guide and improve care delivery.
What is a Learning Health System?
A learning health system (LHS) constantly evaluates itself to improve care. Our LHS Team, active since 2018, enables health system leaders to evaluate programs and implement evidence-based changes, applying what we learn to improve patient care.
The objective of the LHS team is to develop a “culture of inquiry” between health care operations teams and researchers. That means conducting relevant work that is aligned with regional and national KP priorities and that addresses decision making needs and knowledge gaps from the perspective of administrators, clinicians, and patients.
Our LHS team supports health plan leaders with rapid literature reviews, consults on study design and analysis, and conducts evaluations and analyses. Our LHS team also advises on research compliance issues, such as ensuring adherence with federal, state, and local regulations, institutional requirements, and best practices that govern research.
Some recent projects:
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Our LHS Team supported KPNW leaders to launch a new Center for Black Health and Wellness in 2024.The center provides culturally competent care to Black patients and seeks to address health disparities; our team will evaluate how well it meets its goals.
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Our LHS team compared diabetes outcomes among KPNW patients who received panel management services vs. patients who received usual care, and found panel management was effective. Based on this finding, KPNW expanded the program.
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Our LHS team has established a learning network with KP Colorado and KP Washington to share lessons and spread care improvements across KP regions.