Kaiser Permanente Names Chief Information Technology Officer
Kaiser Permanente has named Diane Comer its new chief information technology officer. She had been serving as interim chief information officer since Dick Daniels retired as CIO in June 2020.
In the CITO role, Comer leads a team of more than 6,000 employees designing and implementing technical solutions with a focus on improving overall quality and return on investment, while also reducing costs. She also drives the introduction of new digital technologies that improve access to care. She reports directly to Kaiser Permanente’s chair and chief executive officer and is a member of the national executive team and the CEO executive committee.
Comer previously led Kaiser Permanente’s health plan IT organization, supporting all marketing, sales, service, and administration functions. She led the implementation of the technology systems needed to support the Affordable Care Act and health insurance exchanges for Kaiser Permanente, in addition to the delivery of a nationwide claims platform, a telephony system that now supports a million calls a month to multiple contact centers, and technology solutions for regulatory initiatives such as ICD-10.
Comer initially joined Kaiser Permanente in 2007, after positions at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, including chief technology officer. Her responsibilities included application development and maintenance, and management of infrastructure and data center services.
“Kaiser Permanente continues to reimagine ways to expertly, innovatively, and conveniently provide care for our members, and doing so during this time demands that we work with unprecedented agility and speed while always prioritizing equity, quality, and affordability,” said KP CEO Greg Adams in a statement. “As we progress on this journey, I am pleased that Diane’s innovative thinking, deep expertise, and intimate knowledge of Kaiser Permanente will drive our technology leadership. Our consumer-focused and data-rich capabilities are core to Kaiser Permanente’s strategy and care delivery offerings, and I’m confident that Diane’s leadership will continue to advance our mission.”
Since serving as interim CIO, Comer led Kaiser Permanente’s ongoing IT support to meet the extraordinary needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, while also overseeing the delivery of a large portfolio of IT projects.
