Star of New Ad Campaign Hopes Story of Receptionist's Proactive Action Inspires Others to get Screened for Breast Cancer

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A proactive care team can be a life saver; just ask Kaiser Permanente member Mary Gonzales, who came in for treatment for a bad cold and had breast cancer surgery days later.  This week, Kaiser Permanente unveiled the newest addition to the award-winning Thrive ad campaign, a 30-second television spot featuring Gonzales, that demonstrates how Kaiser Permanente's focus on early intervention and providing coordinated care can save lives.

"A Day in the Life - Mary Gonzales" shows how Mary's office visit with her allergist, was anything but just another day. At check-in, receptionist Susan Salas noticed a flag on Mary's electronic medical record that noted she was due for a mammogram, and scheduled one for that very day. Susan's access and action to the alert in the medical record, led to a test that ultimately saved Mary's life, as the mammogram and a subsequent biopsy revealed that she had an aggressive tumor in her breast, which the doctor was able to successfully remove.

"Mary Gonzales' story demonstrates the beauty of what it means to receive Kaiser Permanente care," says Bernard Tyson, president and chief operating officer. "Our care team, enabled by our electronic medical records, was able to flag a test that helps save lives every day. We are thankful that Mary has entrusted her care to Kaiser Permanente, and we were able to have such a positive impact on Mary's life and help her return to health. We are committed to Mary and the more than 9 million other members who have selected us as their care team."

"I'm really happy what she [Susan] did to make the appointment, because I probably would have waited," Mary explained. "It might have been too late…I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I owe a lot to Susan."

Because of a process known as the "Proactive Office Encounter," Susan was notified of Mary's care gaps at check-in through Kaiser Permanente's advanced electronic health information system, Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect®. She was able to immediately schedule Mary's mammogram and connect her to the care that she needed.

The Proactive Office Encounter enhances teamwork and has resulted in a positive impact on the lives of members in areas of cancer screening, blood pressure control, cardiac health, diabetes, asthma management, immunizations, tobacco cessation, weight management and exercise.

A Spanish language version of the ad is currently playing in several states.

The multi-year Thrive campaign was created in partnership with advertising agency Campbell-Ewald, which has worked with Kaiser Permanente since the rollout of the first Thrive ads in 2004.

The ads, plus additional Kaiser Permanente content, can be accessed at the refreshed kp.org/thrive site. Viewers will notice a new look, new feel, and new content as they explore the updated website. The ads can also be viewed at www.youtube.com/kaiserpermanente.org.

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 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: www.kp.org/newscenter.

For more information, contact:
Farra Levin, 510-267-7364, [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente