Working Smarter

A new energy is rising to fix our nation's health care system. Families, business owners, and policymakers are asking increasingly tough questions. They're tired of skyrocketing costs, red tape, and poor outcomes. Many are discovering, especially in the Pacific Northwest, that Group Health is a place to turn for smart answers.

More than ever since our opening in 1947, we are positioned to make a difference. In our nationally acclaimed model, care and coverage work together as a cohesive force. They also form a foundation focused on serving the interests of our members, who also govern our nonprofit organization.

Our approach leads to better health and more personalized care. Our doctors, who form one of the state's largest medical groups, spend less time with paperwork and more time with patients. They also have more time to consult in teams, which produces a collaborative environment that attracts some of the most talented and dedicated doctors in the nation, selected from a much larger pool of skilled practitioners who want to work at Group Health.

Our approach leads to innovations. One example is our pioneering use of secure electronic medical records, which we expanded in 2006 to include digital X-rays and personal Health Profiles for members who receive care at Group Health facilities. Our Center for Health Studies also continues to conduct groundbreaking research within the patient population at our medical centers, yielding valuable findings that further improve our care practices.

These solutions come at a time when they're needed most — in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. The United States ranks 29th overall in health as a nation, despite being first in spending. Poor coordination and conflicting incentives between health care providers and insurers are among the top problems with the U.S. health care system, which really isn't much of a system.

We are fundamentally different. By aligning care and coverage, Group Health is by definition a system — and that itself may be the smartest solution of all.

ALSO SEE:
Letter to Stakeholders
Financial Highlights
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