Jack Cochran, MD, Executive Director of The Permanente Federation at Kaiser Permanente, named to National Quality Forum Board

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Cochran, MD, executive director of The Permanente Federation at Kaiser Permanente, has been named to the board of the National Quality Forum, based in Washington, D.C.

As a member of the board, Dr. Cochran will contribute to NQF's mission to build consensus on national priorities and goals for performance improvement and work in partnership to achieve them.  The NQF endorses national consensus standards for measuring and publicly reporting on health plan performance and promotes the attainment of national goals through education and outreach programs.

"I am eager to play a role in helping further the goals of the National Quality Forum. I am convinced that the way forward for health care is one of continuous improvement, and the NQF's commitment to this ideal is vital to advancing this effort," Dr. Cochran said. "As a board member, I am looking to help reinforce the understanding of how consensus standards translate to better care delivery and a healthier population. I hope to bring my experience as a physician leader from Kaiser Permanente in building an infrastructure and culture where physicians and patients have the data to make informed health care decisions together and improve health outcomes."

The Permanente Federation, based in Oakland, Calif., represents the interests of the eight Permanente Medical Groups across the nation, and fosters learning and collaboration among their more than 17,000 physicians committed to providing the highest quality of care to its Kaiser Permanente's 9 million members. 

Prior to his appointment to The Permanente Federation in 2007, Dr. Cochran served as executive medical director, president, and chairman of the board of the Colorado Permanente Medical Group.

Dr. Cochran began his medical career as a reconstructive plastic surgeon in clinical and private practice in Denver. He went on to serve at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital as chief of Plastic Surgery, chair of Surgical Services, and president of medical staff, and at Exempla Healthcare as a board member and chairman of its Quality Committee.  He is a member of the board of the Alliance of Community Health Plans and the University of California at San Francisco Global Health Group Advisory Board. For more than 20 years, he has volunteered his reconstructive surgery and consulting services in developing nations.

About the National Quality Forum
The NQF's membership includes a wide variety of health care stakeholders, including consumer organizations, public and private purchasers, physicians, nurses, hospitals, accrediting and certifying bodies, supporting industries, and health care research and quality improvement organizations. The breadth and diversity of its membership allows NQF to be well positioned to maintain a constant drumbeat for health care quality. NQF's unique structure enables private- and public-sector stakeholders to work together to craft and implement cost-cutting solutions to drive continuous quality improvement in the American health care system. The NQF is a not-for-profit organization.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and non-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 9 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/newscenter.

CONTACT: Farra Levin, 510-267-7364, [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente