Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi Celebrates Milestone Growth In Membership

Kaiser on Maui, photo by Wendy Osher.

Kaiser Permanente, the state’s largest health maintenance organization, is now providing health care and coverage to more than 250,000 members in Hawaiʻi, representing a milestone in growth.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi’s rise in membership has accelerated in recent years, increasing more than 11% over the past four years. This growth comes one year before Kaiser Permanente celebrates its 60th anniversary in the islands.

“It has been our privilege to care for the people of Hawaiʻi for nearly six decades. Our focus on putting patients and their families first, enabling them to choose a top-notch primary or specialty care doctor, and serving as a partner in health to our members and the community has resulted in our significant growth,” said Mary Ann Barnes, RN, president of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan Hawaiʻi Region. “More people are embracing the concept of total health — caring for the body, mind and spirit — which has enabled Kaiser Permanente’s model of truly integrated, high-quality care and affordable coverage to shine.”

Kaiser Permanente offers health plans for employers and groups, individuals and families, and those eligible for Medicare or QUEST (Medicaid). The largest increase in membership in 2016–more than 5,000–came from commercial groups ranging from small businesses to some of the largest employers in the state.

“With more than 600 physicians and providers in our medical group, Kaiser Permanente members get to choose from among the state’s best doctors,” said Geoffrey Sewell, MD, president and executive medical director of Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group, the physician group that provides health care to Kaiser Permanente members in Hawaiʻi. “Our focus has always been on providing high-quality, patient- and family-centered care to the people of Hawaiʻi, whether through a routine well visit with a primary care physician or an innovative procedure performed by one of our skilled specialists.”

Over the past several years, Kaiser Permanente has worked to increase accessibility on neighboring islands, including opening the Līhue Clinic on Kauaʻi in February 2016 and Kona Medical Office on Hawaiʻi Island in July 2014.

Additionally, many Kaiser Permanente specialists on Oʻahu and Maui regularly fly to other islands to provide specialty care, and conduct consultations and follow-up appointments via telehealth, which allows members to see their doctors from their home.

More than 100,000 registered members in Hawaiʻi use Kaiser Permanente’s online health management portal, My Health Manager on KP.org, to access lab results, manage prescriptions, schedule appointments and email physicians, among other capabilities.

“Our focus has always been on providing high-quality health care to the people of Hawaiʻi from excellent physicians who are supported with advanced technology and the best evidence-based medical practices in the country,” said Barnes. “What’s new are the many ways Kaiser Permanente has increased its involvement in our Hawaiʻi community, working to make total health and well-being accessible to all.”