News

People who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation are known to have an increased risk of developing other heart problems. A new Kaiser Permanente study suggests they may also be at increased risk for dementia. The researchers found that people with atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, had a 13% greater risk of ...

Dr. Bechien Wu is a gastroenterologist  at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center and chair of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group Regional Research Committee. He was recently appointed to be the physician director of Clinician Research. In his new role, Dr. Wu will provide scientific leadership to the new Division of Clinician Research within ...

A Kaiser Permanente study confirms the benefit of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, also known as Paxlovid, as an early-stage treatment to prevent hospitalization for people with mild to moderate COVID-19, regardless of prior immunity or age. The study was published March 15, 2023, in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. “Among Kaiser Permanente members in Southern California who tested positive for ...

A study of more than 800,000 young people between the ages of 3 and 17 showed that youth at the upper range of average  weight had a 26% higher risk of developing hypertension than those closer to what is considered average weight. The study was published March 14, 2023, in JAMA Network Open. “Hypertension during youth ...

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has selected Kaiser Permanente Southern California as one of 42 health systems nationwide to carry out a pioneering initiative aimed at improving patient outcomes. As a participant in PCORI’s Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII), Kaiser Permanente Southern California will bring its on-the-ground experience and expertise in health care innovation to ...

William J. Towner, MD, FACP, FIDSA, physician director of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Clinical Trials Program, has been named the 2022 Southern California Permanente Medical Group Physician Researcher of the Year. The award has been given each year since 2007 to recognize a physician or surgeon for his or her outstanding contributions to the research ...

A Kaiser Permanente study published January 12, 2023, in Nature Communications shows that third and fourth doses of the monovalent Moderna mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine lose protection against infection with omicron subvariants after 3 months, but protection against hospitalization remains high in adults 18 years of age or older. “This study provides important data on the effectiveness ...

Hung Fu Tseng, PhD, MPH, is a senior scientist in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation and a professor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. His research focuses on generating real-world evidence to determine the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. His research has had a significant impact ...