The Permanente Medical Group, ldc.
PARK SH\DELAN.DS
320 LENNON LANE
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA 94598
(925) 906-2200


January 9, 2000



Mr. Rod Welch
1158 St. Mathew Place
Walnut Creek, CA 94518

Subject:   Welch; Patient 05519189
Knee Examination on Sep 10, 1999
Patient Assistance Report October 6, 1999
Team Care Process; Doctor Patient Partnership
Correcting Medical Mistakes

Dear Mr. Welch:

I am writing to you in my capacity as Physician Leader at Park Shadelands. I have been in communication with Jeanne Bradley and have reviewed the communications which you have provided on your website pertaining to the subject of physician patient communication. I applaud your interest in assisting us with what is clearly a critical issue to us as individual physicians and as an organization.

I have spoken with the Associate Director of our regional Clinical Information Systems and have asked who in the organization would best be able to give you a hearing and consider implementing your ideas or elements from your ideas.

The suggestion I was given is that you sign on to and send a letter to the webmaster there. This will be the most facile method of getting your message to the people who are working on exactly this issue, that is getting our patients electronically connected to the organization. I wish you the very best in your endeavors along these lines.

However, I must ask that you refrain from any further communications with the Park Shadelands staff about this issue. We are not empowered to adopt communication systems for the organization or region as a whole, and it is inappropriate for the member services staff including Mark Mangrau and Jeanne Bradley to be diverted from assisting other patients who are grappling with current medical problems to larger system issues such as you are addressing.

The people who are designing the Clinical Information Systems and who have the skills to evaluate a proposal by a vendor are the regional CIS staff and I must insist you direct your proposals to them.

Of course, if you have a specific medical issue pertaining to your care at this ficility that you are unable to resolve by working with your physician, the Member Services department at Park Shadelands is delighted to assist you. Thank you so much for your time and once again, I wish you the very best in your endeavors.

Respectfully;



Thomas E. Connolly, MD
Physician Leadet, Park Shadelands