Company Profile
Company Overview
Founded in 1947, Group Health Cooperative is a consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Based in Seattle, Wash., Group Health and its subsidiary health carriers, Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, serve more than half a million residents of Washington state and Idaho.
Company History
Group Health began in 1947 as a community coalition dedicated to making quality health care available and affordable—“to serve the greatest number.” We’re one of America’s oldest and largest consumer-governed health-care organizations. As Aubrey Davis—founding member, past president and CEO—put it, “To empower ordinary people to create a medical system to serve them is a remarkable phenomenon.”
Our not-for-profit, cooperative approach goes Well beyond medicineSM—providing health coverage, care and services to help people lead healthier lives. We empower people to make healthier choices. And if health problems arise, we get our patients back on track with world-class care and compassion.
From the beginning, Group Health has attracted caring, innovative people who step up and ask: “What’s next for our patients’ health?” We view close collaboration and respect—with our colleagues and our patients—as critical to creating better health. And we provide staff with challenging, rewarding careers, and opportunities to grow and help us improve—making a real difference in the lives of those who depend on us.
Our purpose: Group Health exists to create better health … working to create better health for our patients and the communities we serve.
Our promise: Innovation for better health. We were founded more than 60 years ago to integrate care and coverage. This creates unique opportunities and incentives for us to innovate—and has helped us gain respect as a health care model others seek to emulate.
Our vision: We seek to create Affordable Excellence, by becoming ...
An integrated health care system … built upon the Northwest’s foremost group practice—demonstrating our excellence through market-leading health outcomes, service, and medical expense trends.
A health plan … growing enrollment by packaging unique coverage options with the strengths of our distinct health care system—at a price 15 percent below the market average. Says CEO Scott Armstrong: “We won’t be satisfied until everyone has access to quality, affordable health care.”
A trusted partner … with our patients, purchasers, and the community—able to connect with them and serve them in ways that build confidence.
The employer of first choice … for capable, caring, and deeply committed staff.
Our guiding principle: What’s next for our customers’ health? By continuously asking, “what’s next?” our staff live our promise daily—focused on customers’ needs and interests. This helps us to proactively plan, develop, and implement improvements to foster better health and meet changing market conditions and needs.
Our workplace behaviors: Individually and as an organization we demonstrate the following traits so that customers have a consistent, positive experience with us. We …
Demonstrate caring.
Promote continuous improvement.
Collaborate for better results.
Represent Group Health well.