Kaiser Permanente Leads the Nation in 13 Commercial Health Plan Quality Measures

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente again leads the nation's commercial health plans by being ranked No.1 in 13 out of 43 effectiveness of care measures, according to the 2013 National Committee for Quality Assurance's Quality Compass® data.

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Out of nearly 500 commercial health plans in the nation, no other health plan received more than five No.1 rankings. Kaiser Permanente received top marks for:

• Breast cancer screening
• Cervical cancer screening
• Controlling high blood pressure
• Comprehensive diabetes care — blood pressure control (<140/80)
• Comprehensive diabetes care — blood pressure control (<140/90)
• Comprehensive diabetes care — medical attention for nephropathy
• Comprehensive diabetes care — eye exams
• Use of spirometry testing in assessment and diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Chlamydia screening in women (ages 16-20, 21-24 and total)
• Counseling for nutrition for children
• Counseling for physical activity for children
• Weight assessment for children — body mass index percentile
• Adult body mass index assessment

"Our outstanding performance in the Quality Compass ratings reflects Kaiser Permanente's commitment to quality," said Bernard J. Tyson, chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente. "Our 9.1 million members are able to achieve the best health outcomes because of our continued focus on quality. Kaiser Permanente physicians, nurses and care teams excel in proactive prevention of illness, early detection of disease, and better treatment of chronic conditions."

The Quality Compass data assesses the performance of national health plans on many important clinical and service standards. This is the fifth year in a row Kaiser Permanente has had the most No.1 rankings. 

"The Quality Compass data highlights the level of dedication from our doctors and care teams to provide the highest level of care," said Amy Compton-Phillips, MD, associate executive director of Quality with The Permanente Federation, the umbrella organization representing Kaiser Permanente's physicians. "These outstanding scores are also a result of Kaiser Permanente's continuous quality improvement efforts, where all caregivers — physicians, nurses, managers and frontline staff — apply best practices that help us keep our members safe and healthy."

Cancer-related effectiveness-of-care measures are particularly important to Kaiser Permanente, and so the organization is proud that for the second year in a row, its Mid-Atlantic States Region was ranked highest for breast cancer screening among the nation's commercial plans. Additionally, earlier this year three Kaiser Permanente medical centers in California were recognized by U.S. News & World Report for being "high performing" in cancer care.

To further its commitment to fighting cancer, Kaiser Permanente recently launched kp.org/cancercare, available in both English and Spanish. The new website highlights the organization's unique approach to overcoming cancer through earlier detection, excellent personalized care delivered with compassion, leading-edge research and technology, and lifestyle coaching.

This recognition by NCQA is the latest in a string of national accolades Kaiser Permanente has received in the past several weeks. In mid-September, the NCQA ranked five Kaiser Permanente health plans — with a total membership of more than 8.2 million — as the five top Medicare plans in the country.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.

The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass® 2013 and is used with the permission of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Quality Compass 2013 includes certain CAHPS data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass is a registered trademark of NCQA. CAHPS® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. The company is recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente's mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. It currently serves 9.1 million members in eight 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. Kaiser Permanente experts 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. The company is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to kp.org/share.

Contact: Mark Camps, Kaiser Permanente, 510-625-5624

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente