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Kaiser
Permanente physician named as founding member of Center for
Information Therapy Commission
(January 23, 2002) - Paul Wallace, MD,
executive director of Kaiser Permanente's Care Management
Institute, has been named to a national 11-member information
therapy commission, formed to support "prescription information"
programs among doctors, hospitals, and health plans.
The panel of health care experts will set priorities and
policy positions for the Center for Information Therapy (CIT),
launched today by Healthwise, Inc., a nonprofit leader in
producing medical information for consumers.
Information therapy is medical information that is delivered
electronically to people right before or after a doctor's
visit, test, or surgery, when they receive medicine, or at
any other specific point in the delivery of health care. Information
therapy provides in-depth, evidence-based health information
critical to improving health outcomes and cost-effectiveness.
"Paul Wallace brings expertise to the commission on
how to introduce evidence-based medicine to physicians,"
said Donald W. Kemper, MPH, CEO of Healthwise and commission
chair. "His visionary work as head of Kaiser
Permanente's Care Management Institute will help guide the
Center's work to deliver the same quality of information to
patients at the right time to help in medical decisions."
Says Dr. Wallace: "If we really want to help our patients
improve their health, then we need to support clinicians in
involving members in treatment decisions and in participating
within the health care team. We need to share with our patients
the kinds of information that will help them feel confident
and make good choices - giving them the tools to help them
maintain as much function, and productivity, and ability to
do normal everyday activities as possible. Information tools
that are dependable and trustworthy benefit both patients
and physicians, in terms of satisfaction and health outcomes."
"We at Kaiser Permanente are working diligently to find
better ways to put the member at the center of care,"
adds Dr. Wallace. "Information therapy is one way to
help us."
Prestigious Commission
The independent Information Therapy Commission
represents the interests of consumer groups, academia, employers,
providers, health plans, and others. Founding commissioners
include:
- Susan Edgman-Levitan: Formerly President of The
Picker Institute
&- James L. Field: Executive Director of The Advisory
Board Company
- Donald W. Kemper, MPH: Chairman and CEO of Healthwise;
Chairman of Hi-Ethics; Founding Chairman of the Center for
Information Therapy
- lbert G. Mulley, Jr., MD, MPP: Chief of the General
Medicine Division and Director of the Medical Practices Evaluation
Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Scientific Director
of the Foundation for Informed Decision Making
- Annette O'Connor, PhD: Acting Program Director of
Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Health Research Institute
- Margaret E. O'Kane: President of the National Committee
for Quality Assurance
- Peter J. Plantes, MD: Vice President of Consumer,
Patient, and Physician Services, VHA, Incorporated
- John Rother: Director of Legislation and Public Policy,
AARP
- John W. Rowe, MD: Chairman, President, and CEO of
Aetna
- Edward Wagner, MD: Director of the MacColl Institute
for Healthcare Innovation, Center for Health Studies, Group
Health Cooperative
- Paul Wallace, MD: Executive Director of the Care
Management Institute, Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is America's largest not-for-profit
health plan. Founded more than 50 years ago with headquarters
in Oakland, California, Kaiser Permanente serves the health
care needs of 8.2 million members. In partnership with Kaiser
Permanente's Regions, the Care Management Institute creates,
funds, and catalyzes care management activities throughout
the health plan.
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