Kaiser Permanente (KP) recognized that patients expect the same seamless digital experiences in healthcare that they receive from other consumer industries. Yet healthcare’s complexity—multiple portals, varied appointment types, and differing acuity needs—often left members confused about how to “get in the door.”
The Kaiser Permanente Intelligent Navigator (KPIN), an AI-powered patient portal, is an emerging strategy that fits within Kaiser’s broader access strategy. KPIN addresses three interlocking challenges:
Complexity of access: Patients often struggled to find the correct entry point within KP’s large system.
Resource allocation in value-based care: Efficiently matching patients to the right level of care became essential for outcomes and cost control/financial performance.
Experience and perception gaps: Patient perceptions of access—how easy, fast, and intuitive it feels—are as important as clinical quality in driving satisfaction and loyalty.