Reena Bhargava, MD, FACP
Physician & Medical Director, Kaiser Permanente
Bio
Reena Bhargava is a practicing Internist and physician-leader with extensive experience in modernizing healthcare delivery through virtual medicine and technology. As the Medical Director of the Kaiser Permanente Advice & Appointment Call Center (AACC) since 2004, she has developed clinical algorithms for digital and telehealth systems, improving care for over 4 million patients.
Reena is Board certified in Internal Medicine, Clinical Informatics, and Lifestyle Medicine. She completed an NIH Clinical Research Fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine in Endocrinology with a focus on Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes. Reena did her Internal Medicine Residency at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Clara, CA.
She Co-Chairs the Medicine Scripts & Protocols Oversight Committee for Northern California Kaiser Permanente, leading the development of technology-based, integrated care delivery systems. Her work includes creating efficient pathways for virtual care, developing e-visits, and implementing clinical decision-support tools. Reena has maintained an active clinical practice as a Senior (Partner) Physician with The Permanente Medical Group since 1996.
Reena served as a Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated) of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine from 2006 to 2015 where she mentored medical students during their clinical rotations. She continues to teach Internal Medicine residents and runs the monthly Journal Club at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Clara.
As Director of AACC Research at Northern California Kaiser Permanente since 2016, her research on E-visits has been published in JAMA Network Open. She has contributed to research in various areas including telehealth outcomes, chronic disease management, and healthcare disparities on topics including Intimate Partner Violence, Gender bias in Lipid Management, Chest Pain triage, Osteoporosis screening, E-visits, etc. She has authored numerous publications and presented at national conferences. Her work demonstrates a commitment to improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
Reena is a Councilor for the Santa Clara County Medical Association and has led initiatives in telehealth, digital health, and virtual care. She has a proven track record of building consensus among physician leaders and understanding the needs of patients, physicians, and the healthcare system.
Known for her authenticity and advocacy for patient-centered care, Reena continues to shape the future of healthcare. She is dedicated to fostering innovation, particularly in patient care delivery systems, clinical informatics and emerging technologies like Generative AI, while maintaining a focus on patient well-being and clinical excellence.