Our Research
Science to serve one goal: Better health
Scientists at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) have a rare advantage: We work within a system that provides both care and coverage. With a 360-degree view of people’s everyday health experience over time, we discover what works best to serve Kaiser Permanente's mission: better health.
We collaborate closely with Kaiser Permanente Washington's medical staff and other providers — gaining from their perspectives on practical approaches to health care’s toughest problems. Together, we create a learning health care system — a place where research strengthens practice and practice strengthen research.
Scientists
Working in the public interest
Our faculty work on interdisciplinary research teams, conducting about 300 studies at any given time. They partner with affiliate researchers and others from academic institutions and health systems and share findings in the public domain to serve the public good.
See our KPWHRI researcher directory.
News
Richards and Nelson earn research awards
Honors from the Health Care Systems Research Network for early career achievements and manuscript of the year
Year in review
Top 10 research highlights in 2021
We look back at 2021 research findings, including on COVID-19 vaccines, health equity, dementia, and suicide risk factors.
Funding sources
A broad base of support
Most of our support comes from federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health. We also contract with biomedical companies and receive grants from private foundations. About 5 percent of our budget comes from Kaiser Permanente Washington.
See our list of funders.
Practical findings
Is blood pressure reading better at home or clinic?
Home blood pressure monitoring shown to be an excellent alternative for making new diagnoses of hypertension.
Research
COVID-19 pandemic research at KPWHRI
Having long tracked infectious diseases and tested vaccines, KPWHRI now focuses on the novel coronavirus.
Recent publications
Bayliss EA, Albers K, Gleason K, Pieper LE, Boyd CM, Campbell NL, Ensrud KE, Gray SL, Linsky AM, Mangin D, Min L, Rich MW, Steinman MA, Turner J, Vasilevskis EE, Dublin S. Recommendations for outcome measurement for deprescribing intervention studies. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Jun 1. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17894. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Miller-Rosales C, McCloskey J, Uratsu CS, Ralston JD, Bayliss EA, Grant RW. Associations between different self-reported social risks and neighborhood-level resources in Medicaid patients. Med Care. 2022 May 30. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001735. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Bagi Z, Kroenke CD, Fopiano KA, Tian Y, Filosa JA, Sherman LS, Larson EB, Keene CD, Degener O'Brien K, Adeniyi PA, Back SA. Association of cerebral microvascular dysfunction and white matter injury in Alzheimer's disease. Geroscience. 2022 May 25. doi: 10.1007/s11357-022-00585-5. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Coleman KJ, Paz SR, Bhakta BB, Taylor B, Liu J, Yoon TK, Macias M, Arterburn DE, Crawford CL, Drewnowksi A, Figueroa Gray MS, Hansell LD, Ji M, Lewis KH, Moore DD, Murali SB, Young DR. Cohort profile: The Bariatric Experience Long Term (BELONG): a long-term prospective study to understand the psychosocial, environmental, health and behavioural predictors of weight loss and regain in patients who have bariatric surgery. BMJ Open. 2022 May 24;12(5):e059611. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059611. PubMed
Collaborate with us
KPWHRI oversees all research conducted at Kaiser Permanente Washington, ensuring that all studies involving Kaiser Permanente Washington members are aligned with the organization’s primary mission: to improve health. Researchers from outside Kaiser Permanente Washington can learn more about our processes for collaborating with KPWHRI faculty members.
Land Acknowledgment
Our Seattle offices sit on the occupied land of the Duwamish and by the shared waters of the Coast Salish people, who have been here thousands of years and remain. Learn about practicing land acknowledgment.