where everyone has equal and affordable access to quality care. A world free of health disparities. A place where good health is a reality for all. This is our vision. Ambitious? You bet. Achievable? We absolutely believe so. And it's a goal that each and every one of our employees and physicians are working toward every day.
As a nonprofit organization, we understand that when our neighborhoods are healthy, everyone benefits. We are committed to spreading health by sharing our knowledge and assets; strengthening the safety net; promoting policies and environmental changes that advocate healthy eating and active living; providing care and coverage for low-income, uninsured, and underserved individuals; and working toward the elimination of disparities in health care. In 2011, we invested $1.8 billion in community outreach efforts. We also continued our Charitable Health Coverage programs, which covered care for more than 547,000 members in 2011.
As our country's policymakers explore the idea of health care reform, they continue to turn to Kaiser Permanente as a model of integration, aligned incentives, and coordinated care. Why? Because our business structure ensures that we are all relentlessly focused on improving the health of our members and communities. And we couldn't be prouder.
To share just a few highlights of our community benefit, in 2011 we
- invested $7.7 million in more than 40 local Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Community Health Initiatives,
- published 1,100 medical research studies,
- used live drama, comedy, and music to teach 906,462 students to make smart choices about food, exercise, and sexuality,
- and sponsored more than 45* regular farmers' markets at our medical centers and business facilities across the country. Find one near you.
And that's just the beginning—the story continues every second of every day.
Read our report: Community Benefit Annual Report 2011
Learn more about our community involvement.
*As of 2011