It began on July 21, 1945, as an experiment, expanding what had been a benefit for wartime shipyard and steel-mill workers into a novel, pre-paid health plan focused on prevention and open to the public at large. Seventy years later, Kaiser Permanente has grown into the nation’s largest integrated health plan and health care provider.

Founded in California with 26,500 members, the health care leader now operates 38 hospitals and 622 medical offices stretching from Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest to Colorado, Georgia and Washington, D.C. and its suburbs. Kaiser Permanente consistently leads the industry in clinical scores, safety ratings and member-satisfaction rankings by third-party agencies. The organization now serves more than 10 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia, a population larger than 140 countries around the world including Sweden, Austria and Singapore.

Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser with shipyard workers in Richmond, CA, 1942. (Photo: Kaiser Permanente)

For seven decades, the mission of the organization pioneered by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and Sidney Garfield, MD, has remained consistent — to deliver high-quality, affordable health care to members and improve the health of the communities it serves. Last year, Kaiser Permanente invested $2.2 billion to strengthen community health in a variety of ways, including subsidized care, educational programs, support for safety-net clinics, and improved access to recreational opportunities and healthy food.

“Like the visionaries who founded this organization, we remain focused on the future, and on being trusted health partners for people on their lifelong health journeys,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bernard J. Tyson. “We are seen as the model for the future of health care, and we will continue to challenge ourselves and lead the way in demonstrating that high-quality care can be affordable.”

Throughout its history, Kaiser Permanente has been recognized for its unique model, which offers care and coverage together, a patient-centered approach to total health and wellness and an emphasis on prevention and healthy outcomes.

“As physicians and providers, we are committed to improving the health of our members with high-quality, patient-centered care,” says Geoffrey S. Sewell, MD, FACP, interim executive director, The Permanente Federation, LLC. “We value compassion, innovation and excellence in everything we do, and we’re proud of our legacy, which is better overall health in the communities we’re privileged to serve.”

Kaiser Permanente is the industry leader in leveraging technology to advance health and health care, and the organization envisions a future where health and wellness are seamlessly integrated with a person’s daily life; a future where care is delivered anywhere, any time.

Kaiser Permanente’s 70th anniversary will be observed in many ways throughout the week. In one of the most visible, newborns — the next generation of Kaiser Permanente members — will receive commemorative #ImaKPbaby 70th anniversary onesies.

The organization also will recognize and celebrate longtime members and employees throughout the week [here].

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 10 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to kp.org/share.