This month marks the 10th anniversary of a unique collaboration between Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (Kaiser Permanente). Since 1996 nearly all of Kaiser Permanente's hospital-based pediatric services have been provided at Doernbecher.
"This distinctive collaboration has supported the goals of both organizations, providing the highest-quality, most convenient care to patients; teaching the next generation of health care providers; and expanding knowledge for improved health care outcomes," said OHSU President Peter Kohler, M.D.
Kohler, along with Kaiser Permanente's then regional medical director, Al Weiland, and Kaiser Permanente's then President, Mike Katcher, played critical roles in supporting the integration of these academic and community pediatric programs. Their goal was to ensure Kaiser Permanente patients have access to a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient care at one, central location.
"There is no greater tragedy than a child in pain," said Kaiser Permanente President Cynthia Finter. "For a decade now, Kaiser Permanente has worked in collaboration with Doernbecher Children's Hospital and Oregon Health & Science University to provide the best patient care to the smallest, most fragile of our members. We look back on the past 10 years with a sense of great accomplishment and look forward to improving the lives of these patients and their parents for years to come."
David Tilford, M.D., then assistant regional medical director for Kaiser Permanente, says the partnership was established when Kaiser Permanente decided to consolidate its hospital-based pediatric services at Bess Kaiser Hospital and Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital into one, high-quality pediatric infrastructure.
"Doernbecher was the best candidate for a community partner given its planned new facility and wide array of services," explained Tilford. Doernbecher's new building was completed in 1998.
Doernbecher benefited from the arrangement through increased pediatric referrals and good utilization of its new facility - a win-win situation for both parties.
During the past 10 years, Doernbecher and Kaiser Permanente have met their joint goal of providing the best possible pediatric services to Kaiser Permanente children. Today, most Kaiser Permanente hospital-based pediatric specialty medical services are conveniently located in one facility, along with bone marrow transplantation, pediatric neurosurgery and pediatric surgery.
A Kaiser Permanente pediatrician is "in house" at Doernbecher Children's Hospital 24 hours a day, working with OHSU's pediatric resident physicians in providing care in acute and emergency situations, a service most community hospitals are unable to provide. And, as a result, Doernbecher pediatric residents gain valuable experience working with an integrated community-based managed care model.
DOERNBECHER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
Doernbecher Children's Hospital, an integral part of Oregon Health & Science University, is a world-class academic health center that cares for children from around the United States. Doernbecher provides more than 50,000 children each year from all corners of the country with outstanding cancer treatment, specialized neurology care, highly successful heart surgery, and care in many other specialties of pediatrics. In addition, Doernbecher's expert staff travels around Oregon and southwest Washington providing pediatric care through 16 outreach clinics.
KAISER PERMANENTE NORTHWEST
Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health care organization. Founded in 1945, the organization serves the health needs of more than 8.4 million people nationwide. About 487,000 people in Oregon and Southwest Washington receive their health care from Kaiser Permanente.