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Kaiser Permanente Southern California Leads the Nation in Breast Cancer Screening

PASADENA, Calif.-(Business Wire)-October 3, 2008 - Today, Kaiser Permanente physicians and employees throughout Southern California are celebrating mammograms. The National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA), a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, recently released its Quality Compass® report for 2008. The data show that among all reporting health plans across the nation, Kaiser Permanente in Southern California has the highest breast cancer screening rate for women aged 52 to 69.

“Our leading performance in breast cancer screening rates results from a combination of the best technology, great teamwork, and the most valuable tool for promoting good health – the human interaction of person to person contact,” said Jeffrey Weisz, MD, executive medical director for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. “We have made it our mission to reach out to every woman between the ages of 52 to 69, reminding them, coaxing them, and making it easy for them to get their mammograms.”

Kaiser Permanente’s electronic medical record system, KP HealthConnect, flags the file of each woman who is due for a mammogram. When the record comes up at any visit, the check-in receptionist, nurse, or physician, even those in orthopedics, ophthalmology, or any specialty, will remind the patient that walk-in mammograms are available. Whether it was for an injured ankle or an eye exam, after the original visit, the patient can make a future mammogram appointment or go immediately to get a mammogram. For those who put off their breast cancer screening, or never come for a visit, there are follow-up letters, reminders, and personal phone calls.

“I’ve always been good about getting my mammograms but there was a lot going on in my life and I just kept putting it off month after month,” said Mary Gonzales, age 67, Kaiser Permanente member and patient at the Baldwin Park Medical Center. “The day I went to the allergy department, Susan Salas, the receptionist, reminded me that I was overdue for my mammogram. That was the extra nudge I needed to make the appointment, thank goodness! The results showed a spot, something I could not have felt on my own. It turned out to be two types of a very aggressive cancer. After going over my treatment options with my doctor, I talked it over with my wonderful family, and with their support, I decided that a mastectomy would definitely be the right decision for me. I will always be thankful to Susan – and to Kaiser Permanente for caring so much about my health.”

This year’s 2008 Quality Compass report showed that of all reporting health plans, Kaiser Permanente Southern California had the highest breast cancer screening rate in the nation, with more than 87 out of 100 women patients age 52 to 69 receiving their recommended mammograms. The national average is slightly over 72 out of 100. Quality Compass is designed to provide benefits’ managers, health plans, consultants, the media, and others with easy access to comprehensive information about health plan quality and performance.

“This reaffirms that Kaiser Permanente Southern California is the health care quality leader for breast cancer screenings,” said Benjamin Chu, MD, president, Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “This report reflects the commitment of our physicians, nurses, health care professionals, as well as our clerical and support staff at every point of contact with our patients. We are focused on providing the best quality care to our patients. From the moment you walk through the door, your good health is our priority.”

NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, HEDIS®, the performance tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation’s health plans.

Consumers can easily access organizations’ NCQA Accreditation and Certification statuses and other information on health care quality on NCQA’s Web Site at www.ncqa.org, or by calling NCQA Customer Support at 888-275-7585.

Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation’s leading integrated health plans. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.3 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region includes more than 55,800 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,400 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at www.kaiserpermanente.org.

HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass® 2008 and is used with the permission of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Any analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass is a registered trademark of NCQA.

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