Don Haugen, MD
“Dr. Haugen has a way of helping us see what’s important, what the mission is, and getting us to work together to accomplish our goal. Our group is a great place to work because of his leadership.”
— Chris Palkowski, MD, physician-in-chief, KP North Valley
Don Haugen, MD, is an accomplished, yet humble man—quick to attribute his success to the contributions of others. His passions at work include healing sick children, contributing to steady improvement in quality of care, and perhaps most of all, providing a workplace that promotes camaraderie.
Dr. Haugen is widely admired for fostering an environment of joyous service and for his fair, team-oriented leadership style. A beloved athletics coach in his spare time, he reveals: “What’s key for me to be an effective leader is hiring outstanding physicians and then advocating for them as best I can.”
Under Dr. Haugen’s leadership, Kaiser Permanente in Roseville joined the Children’s Hospital Association as a top-performing member. They were also the first KP hospital to join Solutions for Patient Safety, a national network of 100 children’s hospitals working to improve care and develop health and safety best practices.
His team’s successful initiatives include enhanced training and preparation for the treatment of complicated patient cases; popular Triad Rounds, which incorporate participation of bedside nurses, physicians, and patient families; and the hospital’s Infant Sepsis Alert process, which decreases the length of time to potentially lifesaving treatment.