KLAS Research and the Delicate Balance of Impartial Data

Here at KLAS, we love a good metaphor. It’s no wonder that our logo, featuring the iconic Delicate Arch, is layered with deeper meaning. (And no, that deeper meaning is not, as one creative customer ribbed, that the arch looks like Hulk’s pants. Although we might be smart to take advantage of that fact.)

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park was carved over thousands of years by water eroding the sandstone mesa the arch rests on. Before receiving its current name, the arch was called Cowboy’s Chaps and (more colorfully) Old Maid’s Bloomers. The current name was born from a 1934 article describing the arch as “the most delicately chiseled arch in the entire area.”

Today, Arches National Park sees more than one million visitors every year, and one of the most heavily visited landmarks there is Delicate Arch.

Keeping a Delicate Balance

A striking visual, the arch rises out of the alien, red rock of southern Utah and stands as a recognizable symbol of the state of Utah, where KLAS is located. That might be reason enough for us to include the arch in our logo; we are proud of our roots. But there is more behind our use of the monument.

At KLAS, we strike a delicate balance in our relationships with customers. We are provider advocates but also have provider clients. We strive to hold vendors accountable but also work to help vendors improve. We know that everyone with a stake in healthcare, including providers, vendors, payers, investors and governments, can benefit from accurate, honest and impartial data.

In addition, KLAS walks the tightrope of integrity. Providers and vendors alike trust us to be accurate, honest, and impartial. If we ever compromise those standards and lose the trust of our customers, we will lose our value as the voice of providers.

A Powerful Reminder

Delicate Arch is our reminder. It represents the balance we strike. That balance must be protected, not only from destructive outside forces, but also from our own blunders. We see the arch and remember the fragility of our position in the market and the weight of vendors and providers trusting us to tell them the truth. We rigorously evaluate and refine our processes and culture so that we can protect ourselves from damage. Our expert provider, payer, and vendor friends in healthcare also give us a panoramic view and ensure that we stay well balanced.

We occasionally joke around the office about what will happen if an earthquake strikes southern Utah and our iconic landmark is toppled. Thankfully, we don’t have the same worry that KLAS will slip from its delicate position in healthcare. We admit our mistakes, listen to feedback, and constantly strive to improve our processes. Our mission comes first, so however delicate our balance may seem, we feel surefooted.

KLAS plans to stand for many years as a reflection of Delicate Arch—a dependable source of information for the healthcare IT world.