Modern Healthcare names The Permanente Medical Group’s Molly Tolins, MD, to 2026 40 Under 40 List

Permanente physician honored for leading peer support program promoting wellness

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 9, 2026 — Molly Tolins, MD, an emergency medicine physician with The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG), was named to Modern Healthcare’s 2026 40 Under 40 list. Dr. Tolins was recognized for leading an impactful program that fosters a culture of empathy and resilience among physicians and care teams. The annual award highlights individuals who have measurably and positively influenced the health care industry as a whole or helped their organization achieve financial, operational and clinical goals.

Dr. Tolins created and leads the Peer Outreach Support Team (POST) program within TPMG, the largest physician-led medical group in the United States, with nearly 10,000 physicians caring for more than 4.6 million members in Northern California. By connecting with trained peer supporters, the POST program assists colleagues going through potentially traumatic work experiences, such as unexpected patient deaths and difficult interactions with patients or family members.

As an Emergency Department physician, Dr. Tolins understands the critical role of mental health and peer support among health care professionals. She pioneered this program to address the stress and trauma that can arise in the medical field, promoting well-being and job satisfaction across the medical group.

“Talking about challenging experiences together helps us get through them, stay grounded in our humanity, and express empathy for our patients,” said Dr. Tolins. “When clinicians feel supported, they are better equipped to deliver compassionate, high-quality care.”

Medical group leaders credit POST with fostering a more collaborative and caring work environment.

“Dr. Tolins and the POST program exemplify the importance we place on physician wellness and leadership,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, co-CEO of The Permanente Federation and CEO and executive director of TPMG. “Giving physicians the opportunity to innovate and lead the promotion of supportive environments is one of the cornerstones of providing high-quality care through the Permanente Medicine model.”

Peer supporters are nominated through an anonymous survey. Participants undergo an initial 4-hour training covering active listening, coping and resilience coaching, risk management and confidentiality assurance. The program also covers how to conduct red flag assessments to identify those who may benefit from a higher level of care.

POST is available in 15 medical centers in Northern California, with more than 400 POST-trained physicians and staff embedded across departments to provide proactive one-on-one emotional support to their colleagues after difficult clinical experiences.

In its first 5 years, POST had more than 550 successful physician interactions in Kaiser Permanente’s East Bay service area alone. An extraordinary 98% of participants surveyed said their interaction with POST was helpful, and 84% reported improvements in well-being.

Dr. Tolins was also named a 2025 Sidney R. Garfield, MD Exceptional Contribution Award honoree. The award honors TPMG physicians instrumental in creating and sharing ideas and programs that have a significant impact on patients, colleagues and the broader community.

Read more about Dr. Tolins in Modern Healthcare’s 2026 40 Under 40 report.

To learn more about Permanente Medicine, visit permanente.org.

About the Permanente Medical Groups

The Permanente Medical Groups are self-governed, physician-led, prepaid, multispecialty medical groups composed of more than 25,000 physicians. We are dedicated to the mission of improving the health of our patients and communities. Together with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, we are Kaiser Permanente — an award-winning health care system that delivers Permanente Medicine, care that is person- and family-centered, compassionate, evidence-based, technology-enabled, culturally responsive, team-delivered and physician-led, to 12.6 million Kaiser Permanente members. We work collaboratively, enabled by state-of-the art facilities and technology, to provide world-class preventive and complex care centered in eight states — from Hawaii to Maryland — and the District of Columbia.

About The Permanente Federation

The Permanente Federation LLC is the national leadership and consulting organization for the Permanente Medical Groups, which, together with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, comprise Kaiser Permanente. The Federation works on behalf of the Permanente Medical Groups to optimize care delivery and spread Permanente Medicine — care that is person- and family-centered, compassionate, evidence-based, technology-enabled, culturally responsive, team-delivered and physician-led. The Federation, based in Oakland, California, fosters an open learning environment and accelerates research, innovation, and performance improvements across the Permanente Medical Groups to expand the reach of Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care delivery model and to lead the nation in transforming health care delivery.