ATLANTA (April 25, 2006) - Kaiser Permanente of Georgia today announced a merger of its research program with The Center for Health Research of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, a non-profit institute headquartered in Portland, Oregon. With the merger, The Center for Health Research (TCHR) is now comprised of three regional Kaiser Permanente research centers in Oregon, Hawaii and Georgia.

"We lead a number of nationally recognized efforts in clinical research. This merger provides a more cost-effective, integrated structure for managing an important body of work," said Bruce Perry, MD, Kaiser Permanente's of Georgia's medical director. "Working multi-regionally will strengthen our research capabilities and better leverage our network of scientific collaborators."

"The work of the Center for Health Research fits well with our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve," added Carolyn Kenny, president of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. "The merger solidifies our continued focus on research and provides greater opportunities to participate in important scientific research studies."

Kaiser Permanente of Georgia is currently involved in a number of nationally recognized efforts in clinical research, including collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State of Georgia Public Health Division, the School of Medicine and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and the University of Michigan Center for Health Communications Research.

Under the new structure, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia's research team will be called the Center for Health Research/Southeast. The KP of Georgia research team of 19, including three research investigators, is currently working on 69 studies to find new ways to treat, manage and prevent chronic conditions that affect Kaiser Permanente members living with serious health conditions such as, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer and asthma.

About The Center for Health Research (TCHR)

The Center for Health Research has more than 46 years of experience in research with a focus on epidemiology, clinical trials, disease prevention and health promotion. Notable examples of current and recent research studies include a women's health initiative (the largest study of women's health ever conducted), dietary approaches to stop hypertension (which led to the DASH diet), a study of tamoxifen and raloxifene for the prevention of breast cancer, and a study on overweight and obesity control at worksites.

The Center for Health Research has a staff of 225, including 30 medical doctors or PhD-level researchers, 11 affiliate investigators and nine clinical investigators from other institutions, and is currently working on 402 studies.

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Released: April 25, 2006