Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW)
Kaiser Permanente Northwest Community Health works to make real and lasting change for people who live, learn, work, and play in the Northwest region. Each year, they partner with more than 150 local community organizations who are deeply embedded in the mission of community health. Since 2010, we have collaborated with KP Northwest Community Health on multiple initiatives, including efforts to support community-based organizations to experiment with community information exchanges in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Health systems are recognizing the need to invest in social determinants of health – housing, education, and poverty – as a strategy to improve their patients’ health and reduce overall health care costs. National efforts are underway to build electronic “community information exchanges” as pathways for connecting health systems and social service providers to people with social needs. Connect Oregon and Unite Washington are statewide coordinated care networks of health and social service providers serving individuals and families in need, for which Kaiser Permanente was an initial investor. Since 2019, we’ve served as a learning partner by documenting the driving and restraining forces for community-based organizations to join and engage in these statewide networks by facilitating convenings, conducting interviews, drafting learning briefs, and facilitating adaptive action sessions with Kaiser Permanente Northwest staff.