News

PASADENA, Calif.  – The herpes zoster vaccine continues to be effective in protecting older adults against shingles, even after they undergo chemotherapy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Researchers examined the electronic health records of more than 21,000 Kaiser Permanente patients in Southern California who were 60 years ...

PASADENA, Calif. – The mantra for treatment for high blood pressure has been the lower, the better, but that goal can potentially put patients at risk of kidney failure or death, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.  Researchers examined the electronic health records of nearly ...

OAKLAND, Calif.  – A new 5-year, $7.3 million award from the National Cancer Institute will allow Kaiser Permanente to expand its innovative cancer clinical trials program.   The award, part of the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), will help Kaiser Permanente focus on enrolling patients in the NCI National Clinical Trials Network, testing cutting-edge therapies, and ...

PASADENA, Calif. – More than 80 percent of hospitalized patients who tested positive for Clostridium difficile were tested outside the hospital or within the first 72 hours of hospitalization, suggesting that settings outside of the hospital may play key roles in the identification, onset and possible transmission of the disease, according to a new Kaiser ...

PASADENA, Calif. –  Non-Hispanic white patients who underwent a gastric bypass procedure lost slightly more weight over a three-year period than Hispanic or black patients, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. The study also examined two types of bariatric surgery and found that patients who ...

PASADENA, Calif. – An innovative framework for identifying and addressing potential gaps in health care in outpatient settings using electronic clinical surveillance tools has been used to target patient safety across a variety of conditions, according to a study published today in the journal eGEMs.  The Kaiser Permanente Southern California Outpatient Safety Net Program (OSNP) leverages ...

PASADENA, Calif. – When physicians conduct heart-related procedures on patients, they commonly include a process called cardiac catheterization, which allows physicians to learn about the condition of the heart. In some instances, dye is used to help physicians visualize a patient’s blood vessels. Among the potential complications associated with using dye in these procedures is ...

PASADENA, Calif.  – Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who participated in any level of moderate to vigorous physical activity had a lower risk of hospital readmission within 30 days compared to those who were inactive, according to a study published today in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Researchers examined the electronic health records ...