The performance improvement strategy at Kaiser Permanente is designed to help staff members do their best work on the Value Compass priorities of patient/member quality, service, affordability and best place to work. By integrating the following six components into the workplace, KP is creating an environment in which continuous learning and improvement comes naturally.

To execute this strategy, the Improvement Institute has developed five different programs, each tailored to specific constituencies within the organization: Executive Leadership Days, the Improvement Adviser Program, Operational Leaders Program, a Co-Lead Workshop and a Frontline Staff (RIM+) program. Participants in the programs, which are delivered by nationally and internationally known faculty, learn evidenced-based strategies for performance improvement.

A brief explanation of the responsibilities and expectations within the six components that make up the performance improvement strategy follows; for more information, visit KP’s Care and Service Quality website.

Leadership priorities and communication

• Leadership team is engaged and aligned.
• Team sets clear priorities based on a few vital breakthrough performance areas.
• The priority areas move the organization’s business strategy by focusing on clinical, financial, employee and patient indicators.
• There is a cascading system to communicate from the macro- to the micro-system level.

Systems approach

• Organization’s leadership teams are capable of identifying core business processes.
• A process map is established for these core areas and improvement priorities are aligned based on vital business needs.
• An oversight structure is established at the national and regional levels so that improvement priorities and progress are properly managed and monitored.

Measurement capability

• Teams are capable of setting outcomes and improvement process metrics for key areas.
• Performance targets are established to achieve best in class, with national best as target.
• A balanced scorecard system helps guide frontline units/departments in their performance improvement work.

Learning organization

• Best practices emerge that are based in results.
• Systems are created to facilitate the sharing, learning and “spread” of best practices, maximizing ability to improve performance across the organization.
• Focus is on top-down and bottom-up execution.

Improvement capability

• Oversight system is established at the top (macro) and middle (meso) levels.
• An improvement infrastructure and staff is created.
• Organization is able to execute improvement processes from testing through spread of practice at all levels.
• A unified internal methodology for improvement incorporates multiple methods.
• An internally designed and delivered improvement curriculum is tailored to several levels of staff and physicians.

Engagement and culture

• Staff members participate in improvement, giving them ownership in the changed work processes.
• Operational level leaders, from stewards to medical center directors, are taught deeper improvement skills using a fellowship model.