Hawaiʻi’s largest multispecialty medical group marks 65 years of physician-led care

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi celebrated the 65th anniversary of Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group with a special gathering and an official proclamation from State Senator Donna Mercado Kim, House Vice Speaker Linda Ichiyama, and Honolulu City Council Members Radiant Cordero and Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, honoring the physician group’s decades of service, innovation, and leadership in health care.

Founded in 1960, Honolulu-based HPMG began with a small team of pioneering physicians dedicated to delivering integrated, team-based care. Over six-and-a-half decades, the group has grown into Hawaiʻi’s largest multi-specialty physician organization, now with nearly 800 physicians and advanced practice providers caring for more than 270,000 Kaiser Permanente members across the islands.

“Sixty-five years ago, a small band of physicians believed Hawaiʻi could have a different kind of health care – coordinated across specialties with an emphasis on keeping people healthy, and centered on the whole person,” said John Yang, MD, president and medical director of Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group. “Today, that vision continues to guide us. We remain committed to innovation, to caring for Hawaiʻi’s people like family, and to shaping the future of health care in these islands.”

Throughout its history, HPMG has been recognized for clinical excellence, health equity, and physician leadership. In 2025, Castle Connolly recognized HPMG as being among the top medical groups in the US, ranking No. 3 nationally for Asian American and Pacific Islander representation. In Hawaiʻi, HPMG has the most top doctors of any health system – 32% of the state’s top doctors – including the most top doctors in primary care, according to Castle Connolly. 

Throughout the 65th-anniversary year, celebrations have highlighted key milestones for HPMG: becoming one of Hawaiʻi’s earliest adopters of electronic medical records; pioneering progressive programs to support physician health and wellness; achieving several medical “firsts” in the state; hosting Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi’s annual day of service; launching an internal medicine residency to expand primary care training; starting Kaiser Permanente’s first physician assistant fellowship; and reaching the goal of having women make up at least half of the medical staff.

Looking forward, HPMG plans to continue its expansion of primary and specialty care access across the islands, strengthen telehealth capabilities, and continue investments in programs and partnerships addressing social and cultural drivers of health.

“HPMG’s legacy is built on the idea that the best care happens when physicians lead, patients are at the center, and communities are partners in health,” Dr. Yang added. “As we celebrate 65 years, we’re focused on the next 65 – advancing medicine, training the next generation of physicians and other clinicians, and ensuring that every person in Hawaiʻi has the opportunity to thrive.”