Kaiser's vital signs defy ailing economy

At a time when much of the nation's economy is on life support, the giant health maintenance organization Kaiser Permanente has opened a state-of-the-art, $600-million hospital, a feat that illustrates the vitality of the healthcare sector and of Kaiser itself. Reformers in the U.S. and abroad are looking at Kaiser as a model of some of the biggest ideas in healthcare today—prevention and demonstrable quality care, such as high mammography rates and top cardiac surgery results. It's also priced less than most competitors.