Stories

A diverse staff (like this team from the perioperative department at the Ontario Medical Center in Southern California) serving a diverse membership is a point of pride and strength for Kaiser Permanente. 

Anthony Frizzell, mental health assistant and member of OPEIU Local 2 says, "It is imperative that we relate to the patient in the way the patient wishes." 

Southern California's Biohazards band, extending partnership tools into music-making. 

By borrowing a successful practice from Los Angeles Medical Center, South Bay Medical Center's Orthopedics/Podiatry Team increased its copay collection and improved the member care experience.

Lisa Kane, UBT consultant, harnesses teams' enthusiasm for improving service and quality. 

A successful kp.org sign-up campaign resulted in a deluge of messages, and providers found themselves struggling to keep up. That’s when co-leads Rikki Shene, LPN, a member of SEIU Local 49, and manager Eliseo Olvera took action, with help from their UPR.  

Consultants such as Shannon Cazinha (center) can coach teams on the best ways to improve performance. 

Joan Thayer, a lead cardiology nurse and member of UFCW Local 400, gets a group hug from colleagues at a recent UBT fair. 

Ed Vrooman, a union partnership representative from SEIU Local 49, helps teams demystify the data so numbers can be a portal to improved performance instead of a source of stress. Kate Webb, project coordinator, lends a hand. 

Sheryl Magpali, RN, union co-lead for the Baldwin Park critical care and step-down unit team, confers with her fellow nurses on an improvement project.

The critical care team at KP Baldwin Park, where the keen outside eye of UBT consultant Charisse Lewis helped clear the way to a culture that supports performance improvement efforts.