Patrick Courneya, MD, Named Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan, Inc.

OAKLAND, Calif., March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente today named Patrick Courneya, MD, as executive vice president and chief medical officer for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

In this role, he will oversee Kaiser Permanente's national quality program, help ensure the organization's members and communities receive the best quality and service Kaiser Permanente offers, and advocate for the advancement of evidence-based medicine and proven innovation for the industry.

Dr. Courneya and his team will also help define how Kaiser Permanente can further the organization's quality agenda to support its members and communities in achieving their vision of health. Dr. Courneya will work with the regional and national leaders of the Permanente Medical Groups and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan to fulfill this commitment to quality. He will report directly to Chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson and serve as a member of the Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan National Executive Team.

Dr. Courneya, who has been a family practice physician for 25 years, joins Kaiser Permanente after serving the past 10 years as medical director and associate medical director for HealthPartners Health Plan, an integrated health care system based in Minnesota. Additionally, Dr. Courneya has played a significant role in advancing health care quality and innovation on a national level.  He currently serves as chair of the America's Health Insurance Plans' Chief Medical Officer Leadership Council and as chair of the Alliance of Community Health Plans Medical Director Council.

"Kaiser Permanente exists to provide affordable access to high-quality care and service to millions of Americans across the country," said Tyson. "Dr. Courneya is the perfect addition to our team to deliver on our commitment to total health, which is central to our mission."

Serving more than 9.1 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia, Kaiser Permanente consistently delivers some of the best cancer care, cardiovascular care and neuroscience outcomes in the nation, while also leading the country in infection prevention, cancer screenings, patient safety and quality.

"Kaiser Permanente is widely recognized as a national leader in health care quality and prevention, and I am honored to join the organization in a role that is dedicated to furthering the pursuit of high-quality care," Dr. Courneya said. "At a time when health care is in a state of rapid change, we will continue to advance the delivery of high-quality care in a variety of settings — including hospitals, physician offices, online and in homes — by making health care more connected and even more convenient for our members and patients.

"In my positions with HealthPartners, both as medical director and as a practicing physician, I was deeply engaged in overseeing health plan and care delivery, which means I have an intimate understanding of the dynamics of care delivery and what really works, right down to serving patient needs," continued Dr. Courneya. "That includes both clinic and hospital, from large urban settings to rural areas, in-patient to virtual care. At Kaiser Permanente I will strive to expand the member and customer voice in how we deliver the best experience now and in the future, creating the best patient experience each and every day."

Dr. Courneya steps into the new role on May 5, following the retirement of Jed Weissberg, MD. Dr. Weissberg had a 30-year career as both a physician and executive leader helping to shape and drive Kaiser Permanente's national quality program. Dr. Weissberg announced his intent to retire last year.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is 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 and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve approximately 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. Our expert medical teams are supported by industry-leading technology and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, care delivery and chronic disease management. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

Contact:

Amy Wang, [email protected]; (510) 267-2872, (510) 506-5569 (mobile)

Keith Paulsen, [email protected]; (310) 734-7584, (917) 940-8689 (mobile)

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SOURCE Kaiser Permanente