News release: Colorado - Denver/Boulder

January 28, 2004

For more information, call:
Jacque Murphy Montgomery
Kaiser Permanente, Media Relations Coordinator
Phone: (303) 344-7410
Pager: (303) 203-8243
E-mail: Jacque.Montgomery@kp.org

Click to kaiserpermanente.org for physician-approved health information

Denver, CO – More and more of us are turning to the Web to research our health. Some of the information is credible, some questionable. Consumers now can turn to a leader in the health care industry for the latest health information. Kaiser Permanente invites everyone—members and nonmembers alike—to access trustworthy, up-to-date, physician-approved health information by visiting our redesigned Web site www.kaiserpermanente.org.

Searching for health information online is the third most popular Internet activity, behind using e-mail and researching products and services, according to the July 2003 Pew Internet and American Life study. But the study also found that half of those who turn to the Web for health advice "only sometimes," "hardly ever," or "never" verify the source and timeliness of the information they find. Those who click on the health encyclopedia on kaiserpermanente.org can be sure the information they are reading has met the high standards of Kaiser Permanente care.

The site offers free, non-commercial access to more then 40,000 pages of health information, covering 1,900 topics, 6,000 medical tests and procedures, and more.

Health calculators help visitors determine if they are at a healthy weight, see if they are getting enough calcium, help calculate due dates if pregnant, and more.

A drug encyclopedia provides detailed information on more than 3,000 prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including how to use medications, side-effects, and precautions.

An enhanced "Members" section enables Kaiser Permanente members to request appointments, obtain prescription refills, communicate with medical professionals, and manage aspects of their health plans—all online, through a secure, private connection.

The general public can access much of the site's valuable information by visiting the Members' section.

Kaiser Permanente is a nonprofit health plan and the largest private health care provider in Colorado. It is rated among the top ten accredited health care organizations in the country for clinical quality by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Kaiser Permanente cares for more than 408,000 members in the Denver/Boulder and Colorado Springs areas. In the Denver/Boulder area, care is provided by a coordinated team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, mental health counselors, and physical therapists. In Colorado Springs, Kaiser Permanente cares for its members through an affiliated network of community-based physicians and other health care providers.