Bruce Wollman, MD, shares Kaiser Permanente health innovations at virtual global conference for diplomats

Bruce Wollman, MD, associate medical director of Government Relations, Radiation Oncology, and Healthcare Utilization at Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, spoke at The Washington Diplomat’s virtual Diplomat Health Conference about the innovative ways Kaiser Permanente is improving clinical care for its members.

In a panel with leaders from Johns Hopkins Medicine, Children’s National Health System, and GW Medical Faculty Associates, Dr. Wollman explained how real-time lab results have taken a patient’s journey for a breast cancer diagnosis from weeks to days, sometimes even overnight. This has led to significant improvements in patient satisfaction with their care.

“Our physicians determine what is best for the patient without asking the health plan [insurer],” Dr. Wollman said, explaining that Kaiser Permanente’s integrated model supports the independence of the Permanente Medical Groups. He described how MAPMG’s data collection and analysis has helped to further eliminate disparities in women’s health.

Kaiser Permanente provides “concierge medicine,” tailoring patients’ access to their care teams based on preferences and needs, whether it’s secure email, phone consultations, preventive care visits, or treatment, and all scaled to a population level of care delivery, Dr. Wollman continued. “This is a benefit of our integrated model.”