Kaiser Permanente Showcases Mobile Health Portfolio at HIMSS12

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente, the nation's leading health care provider and not-for-profit health plan, will showcase its new collection of industry-leading mobile health applications at  the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society 12th Annual Conference and Exhibition at the Venetian Sands Expo Center. In the last year, Kaiser Permanente has launched a suite of complementary mobile applications and capabilities available to more members than any other health system. 

All of Kaiser Permanente's new mobile offerings will be on display, with demonstrations available, at the Kaiser Permanente booth at HIMSS12: Booth No.8507.

With these new mobile offerings, Kaiser Permanente patients can view their secure personal health record, email their doctors, schedule appointments, refill prescriptions and locate Kaiser Permanente medical facilities – all from their mobile devices. Kaiser Permanente also recently released its Every Body Walk! app to encourage people to get healthy by walking and maintaining healthy activity levels.

These increased mobile-health capabilities are a natural extension of Kaiser Permanente's leadership in health IT.  Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect® is Kaiser Permanente's comprehensive health information system, which includes one of the largest, most advanced electronic health records available in the U.S. The member tool My Health Manager securely connects 8.9 million people to their health care teams, their personal information, and the latest medical knowledge, leveraging the integrated approaches to health care available only at Kaiser Permanente. In 2011, more than 68 million lab test results were made available online and patients made more than 12 million e-visits. These numbers are expected to rise significantly as more people have access to their doctors and their health information at the touch of a button.

"Connectivity is the hallmark of the health care delivery system of the future," said George Halvorson, chairman and chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente. "And, Kaiser Permanente is leading the way by making health and wellness tools available from anywhere in the world. Now, Kaiser Permanente patients can simply pull out their mobile devices and have immediate access to their own medical information, proving that Kaiser Permanente is the model for connected care. We have had one million page views of the content through smart phones in just the first month of availability. Members are being connected with their own health data and their own caregivers."

"The real value of these new mobile tools is convenience for our patients," said Christine Paige, senior vice president of marketing and Internet services. "Our patients love the ease with which they can access their medical records, make appointments, and even view test results online. Now, they can do all that and more from their mobile phones. The end result will be improved health and better relationships between patients and their doctors."

Kaiser Permanente launched its first mobile application, KP Locator, in July 2011. The app, available for free through the iPhone App Store, has a simple and intuitive interface; users can input a city name or ZIP code to find the Kaiser Permanente facilities in their area. Since its launch, the facility-finder app has been used a million times. In November, Kaiser Permanente launched its second app, The Every Body Walk! mobile app, which was rated No. 5 in the Top 100 Green Apps by Eco-Libris. The tool uses GPS technology to establish the user's location and identify walking paths. It also tracks time walked, distance covered and calories burned.

This year, Kaiser Permanente made the largest electronic health record system in the world accessible by mobile phone with the launch of its mobile-optimized website, kp.org. Nearly 9 million Kaiser Permanente patients now have 24/7 access to their medical information anywhere in the world on mobile devices.The new app is currently available for Android devices, and an additional app for iPhone will be released in the coming months. iPhone users can easily download a shortcut icon onto their home screens that will take them directly to the mobile-friendly kp.org. 

HIMSS, as the largest and most prestigious health IT industry organization in the world, attracts more than 38,000 attendees annually to its conference and exhibition. Visitors to the Kaiser Permanente booth at HIMSS12 will be able to explore Kaiser Permanente's growing mobile capabilities through an interactive display board, complete with QR codes that direct visitors to each application and website. 

Stop by the Kaiser Permanente booth at HIMSS12: Booth No. 8507.  The exhibit hall is open:

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 not-for-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 serve approximately 8.9 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: www.kp.org/newscenter.

For information, contact:
Katie Hylas
GolinHarris for Kaiser Permanente
201-923-5030
[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente