Kaiser Permanente

Suzanne Gordon’s commentary (“The Doctor Can’t See You Now,” July 6) parrots the wrongheaded popular notion that there is something inherently wrong with “managing care,” but she has her facts wrong on the issue of preventive care--especially when it comes to Kaiser Permanente.

Ask a patient who was diagnosed with treatable cancer after one of our screening tests if she is glad we were able to catch it early. Ask a member who came in complaining about stress if he’s glad his doctor recommended stress reduction classes. Or would he rather just be on drugs for stress?

The 3,000 members of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group take offense at Gordon’s cynical view of Kaiser Permanente. Recent studies such as the 1999 Dartmouth Atlas of Health singled out Kaiser Permanente as the benchmark for preventive care, the best of the best. We’re proud of that record.

OLIVER GOLDSMITH MD

Medical Director, Southern Calif.

Permanente Medical Group

Pasadena