As a research center embedded within Kaiser Permanente’s large and dynamic health care system, our investigators have a unique opportunity to apply scientific expertise to real-world clinical problems, translate findings into practice, and share what we learn with the broader community.
Dr. Shawn Menefee is director of the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center. He serves as area research chair for San Diego on the Southern California Permanente Medical Group’s Regional Research Committee.
As co-director of the joint University of California, San Diego, and Kaiser Permanente Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, he had the opportunity to educate and supervise residents ...
Being active can lower your risk of getting seriously ill with COVID, regardless of your race or the chronic conditions you may have, according to research published last year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The Kaiser Permanente Southern California findings were important, impactful, and influential. As a result, the journal editors chose the research article, “Associations of Physical Inactivity and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups,” as the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023 Article of the Year.
Managing Type 2 diabetes can be challenging. Food choices matter, but healthy options aren’t always easy to afford or find. A Kaiser Permanente study found that adults with diabetes who were on Medicaid improved their blood sugar when they received healthy grocery deliveries at home. ...
For carefully selected patients, receiving advanced-level care at home after heart failure may be just as safe and effective as staying in the hospital, a new Kaiser Permanente Southern California study shows. The study, published on July 16, 2026, in JAMA Network Open, examined adults hospitalized for acute heart failure. Researchers compared patients who continued ...
A respiratory syncytial virus vaccine given to older adults remained highly effective at preventing severe illness over 2 RSV seasons, according to a Kaiser Permanente Southern California study. The study offers real-world evidence that the bivalent RSVpreF vaccine continued to protect adults 60 and older from RSV-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits well beyond the ...
When Chance Shipley was finishing high school in Southern California, baseball defined his future. A pitcher with a college scholarship, he was training for the transition to collegiate athletics when he became seriously ill during winter break in December 2019. He was vomiting, exhausted and noticed blood in his urine. At first, he said nothing. ...
A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 8,000 men shows that in mid- to late 2024, mpox was far more common among men who have sex with men than previously thought. Individuals without symptoms accounted for most infections and likely played a prominent role in transmission, contrary to prior assumptions that people had to be symptomatic ...
From inspiring patient stories to research that’s shaping the future of care, the latest IMPACT newsletter highlights the power of clinical trials and innovation across Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Read how a clinical trial helped a young pitcher return to baseball, learn how researchers are expanding access to sight-saving treatments, and meet the dedicated nurses helping patients navigate research with compassion and confidence.
You’ll also find new studies on mpox transmission, doxyPEP and sexually transmitted infections, diabetes self-management education, and restaurant portion sizes, along with highlights from the 2025 Annual Report.
Investigators with the Division of Health Services Research & Implementation Science study how care is delivered, identify opportunities for care improvement, and implement new approaches for organizing and delivering health services. The division brings together scientists with diverse expertise and training, including emergency medicine, epidemiology, health services research, implementation science, internal medicine, nursing, pharmaceutical economics, and pulmonology.
The division co-leads the Care Improvement Research Team, a research team embedded within Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s quality improvement ecosystem. The team works closely with clinical and operational partners at Kaiser Permanente Southern California to identify, prioritize, and solve problems related to quality and affordability. Its goal is to reduce unnecessary practice variation, improve affordability, and transform care.