Look at obesity rates in Northern CA vs. Midwest Productivity would increase, as people would take fewer sick days. Also, the presence of food deserts, or neighborhoods that don’t have easy access to healthy and nutritious foods, makes socioeconomic status a factor in obesity. Perhaps helping fund community gardens and farmer’s markets where EBT and WIC could be used would help individuals in these areas consume healthy, fresh, and unprocessed food.
Kaiser Permanente is one of the leading non-profit healthcare organizations. They serve Americans along the West Coast of the United States as well as Washington, DC, and other states. Their state-of-the-art technology helps differentiate them from other healthcare organizations. They invest billions into research, technological advancement, and health information management. Not only do they strive to make their patients happy and healthy, but they also find the health of their employees just as critical. According to the case study, Kaiser Permanente takes measures to offer employees access to HIM technology, healthy food choices, and the chance to be more active despite having an office job. Kaiser Permanente has been putting a great emphasis on long-term weight management for both their patients and employees. By taking a holistic approach that focuses on a patient’s mental health, physical health, and resources, they aim to not only decrease BMI but to avoid already normal BMIs from increasing. The obesity epidemic, being one of the largest crises facing the American public today, has become a priority for Kaiser Permanente.
Kaiser Permanente considers obesity as a strategic challenge. There is no ‘quick fix’ in curbing the obesity epidemic, but rather a conglomerate of strategies and ideals. Physicians, psychologists, and researchers must take into account the complex social, economic, and health structures obesity is based upon. When treating an obese patient, not only does an individual’s physical and dietary routine need to be revised, but also their self-confidence level, social abilities, and emotional state. Weight is a sensitive topic for many Americans. Many who are overweight lose confidence in themselves, feel embarrassed or ashamed, and may lack a sense of belonging. An obese patient needs to feel supported but also inspired, to decrease their BMI and live a healthier lifestyle.
Kaiser Permanente is a large healthcare organization, treating 11.8 million, or 3.61% of the US population. Kaiser Permanente sustained approximately $131.4b in costs for the year 2018. However, Kaiser Permanente’s obese population of their patient base makes up a smaller portion of the population than the United States as a whole. Alas, obesity will still cost Kaiser Permanente billions. Assuming inflation rates will continue to increase steadily, Kaiser Permanente should prepare to have total healthcare costs as high as $221b by 2028, $7.08b (3.2%) of which will be obesity-related. As with every other healthcare organization, the continued prevalence of obesity will take up an increasing amount of Kaiser Permanente’s resources. Each year, more and more healthcare expenditures are going toward treating obesity-related co-morbidities such as type II diabetes, heart disease, and sleep apnea. In fact, the rate of obesity-related expenditures is increasing at a rate of 134.0% each decade in the United States, compared to total healthcare costs, which have increased between 2008 & 2018 at a rate of 58.7%. Projections based on the increase in spending seen in the last decade (2008-2018) show that annual obesity-related costs may reach a staggering $461b, while total healthcare costs maybe $5.8t. Obesity-related costs would account for 7.9% of total healthcare expenditures.
Kaiser Permanente has invested time, energy, and money in medicinal innovations and community health sustainability. HEAL, one of KP’s initiatives is a community outreach program that helped establish farmer’s markets and promote exercise and activity in communities with limited access to such resources. Kaiser’s technological initiative, HealthConnect, grants greater accessibility to healthcare services through telemedicine. This is beneficial because it makes it possible for those living in rural areas to get the state-of-the-art technology KP has to offer. In addition, patients are able to take control of their own health by utilizing some of the app’s features. The United States is already seeing results (plateauing obesity rates) because of programs such as HealthConnect. With high patient retention rates, low patient turnover, a good amount of money already invested, and the foothold they have due to the research and work already done by KP’s HealthConnect and HEAL, it is only logical that Kai
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