Patient Advisor for the Kaiser Permanente Health Care System: Jean Klein
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Jean Klein |
Jean Klein had a successful career in real estate for four decades in Colorado. For 25 years, she was "Mrs. Santa Claus" for the local business association's party for children. She never expected to become a patient advisor for a health care system. But today, Jean Klein, age 81, is an active advisor to the Kaiser Permanente Health Care System!
In 2003, Jean was hospitalized with double pneumonia and placed on life support. She recovered fully and about six months after her illness, her doctor asked if she would be willing to become a member of the 21st Century Care Innovation Project Team for the Skyline Internal Medicine Clinic, an Institute for Healthcare Improvement/Kaiser collaborative. "Of course, I said yes, I was very grateful for the care I received." Jean has been an active member of this team for 2 1/2 years, participating in meetings every two weeks as well as in the "All Team" meetings for this national collaborative.
Innovations implemented to date include giving a written copy of an "After Visit Summary" to patients as they leave the Clinic, setting aside four 10-minute time slots in a physician's daily schedule for patient "phone visits," and planning for a number of same day appointments so patients can come in on the day they call.
Jean is one of ten patient/family members of the Member Council for the Internal Medicine Department. Council members, staff and physicians meet every other month to review systems and communication strategies. The Member Council has helped patients understand Kaiser's Formulary and how to manage when a particular medication is not on the formulary, as well as provided comments that resulted in changes to Kaiser's Colorado region HIPAA forms.
Instead of complaining about how patients are treated, Jean believes that patients can help make changes and improvements, "One little tidbit you tell someone..you don't realize how much it could benefit others. Now that I'm retired, my stars, its feels wonderful that those people in the committee think I still have something worthwhile to contribute."
Jean, a Kaiser member for approximately 25 years, has been receiving care at the Skyline Medical Offices since the offices opened. Jean retired from her 40-year Colorado realtor career in 1999. A long-time community leader in Commerce City, Colorado, Jean was a Board Member of South Adams County Water and Sanitation District for 30 years, serving as Chairwoman for 24 years. Her successful negotiations with the Department of Defense resulted in reparation for ground water damages caused by the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. The Klein Water Treatment facility is named for her.
Jean has six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and is nearing her 60th anniversary with her husband Al.