Gary and Mary West Health Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CONDUCTING APPLIED MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTO ACTIONS TO LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS AND IMPROVE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AND SUCCESSFUL AGING FOR SENIORS. FURTHERMORE, TO LOWER THE COST OF HEALTHCARE AND ENABLE SENIORS TO SUCCESSFULLY AGE, LIVING LIFE ON THEIR OWN TERMS WITH ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT PRESERVE AND PROTECT THEIR DIGNITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND INDEPENDENCE.
- Income
- $44.6 million
- Spending
- $42.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $958,995, cmo & evp clinical research
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 88% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 110% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 253 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $35.0 million spent. OVER THE COURSE OF 2024, THE GARY AND MARY WEST INSTITUTE (REFERRED TO BELOW VARIOUSLY AS WHI, WEST HEALTH INSTITUTE, OR INSTITUTE) CONTINUED TO ACTIVELY CONDUCT APPLIED MEDICAL RESEARCH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A, WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE BODY OF CLINICAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND HEALTH KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN ULTIMATELY BENEFIT OLDER ADULTS IN AMERICA. OUR RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES ENCOMPASS A VARIETY OF REAL-WORLD DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES, AND IN MANY CASES, WE IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS AND STRUCTURES (E.G., STANDARDIZED CARE MODELS, DATA DASHBOARDS, ETC.) THAT ALLOW US TO COLLECT SYSTEMATIZED RESEARCH INFORMATION WHERE LITTLE PREVIOUSLY EXISTED. THESE MEDICAL RESEARCH EFFORTS DIRECTLY SUPPORTED WHI'S MISSION OF LOWERING THE COST OF HEALTHCARE AND ENABLING SENIORS TO SUCCESSFULLY AGE IN PLACE WITH ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT PRESERVE AND PROTECT THEIR DIGNITY, QUALITY OF LIFE AND INDEPENDENCE. OUR MAJOR WORKSTREAMS FOR 2024 BROADLY FIT INTO THE AREAS OF (SENIOR APPROPRIATE) ACUTE CARE RESEARCH, VALUE-BASED CARE RESEARCH, AND CHRONIC CARE RESEARCH ARE DESCRIBED BELOW. SENIOR-APPROPRIATE ACUTE CARE RESEARCH IN 2024, THE INSTITUTE CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO AND GROW THE BODY OF EVIDENCE FOR NEW STRATEGIES IN ACUTE CARE. UNPLANNED (ACUTE) NEEDS REMAIN THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF COSTS FOR THE NATION'S VULNERABLE OLDER ADULTS, AS WELL AS LEADING TO LASTING DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS (E.G., POST-VISIT DEBILITATION AND FUNCTIONAL DECLINE). SUCCESS IN THIS AREA IS ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVING BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE OUTCOMES FOR OLDER ADULTS. ACUTE CARE RESEARCH AREA: GERIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS (GEDS) GERIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS REMAIN A FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT OF OUR MEDICAL RESEARCH. OUR EFFORTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE CHARACTERIZING THE DECISIONS AND PROCESSES AROUND HOW NEW HOSPITALS BECOME ACCREDITED (WITH THE INTENTION OF ENABLING FURTHER SPREAD OF THIS MODEL), RESEARCH AROUND HOW ACCREDITED GEDS CAN ADD FUNCTIONS, TOOLS AND PROCESSES TO FURTHER AUGMENT THEIR SUPPORT FOR OLDER ADULTS, AND MEASURING THE IMPACT OF GEDS BOTH LOCALLY AND AT SCALE. GROWTH OF THE GED NETWORK RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATIONS - IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH COLLABORATION #1 [HEALTH SYSTEM/HOSPITAL RESEARCH PARTNERS: UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH, ALONG WITH 26 HOSPITAL PARTNERS IN CALIFORNIA] IN 2024, WHI CHARACTERIZED AND ADVANCED TRAINING CONDUCTED BY UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH WHICH DIRECTLY ENABLED HOSPITALS TO APPLY FOR GED ACCREDITATION AND INCLUDED INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING TO HOSPITALS INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING THE GED MODEL. AT THE CLOSURE OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, CALIFORNIA LED THE NATION IN GED ACCREDITATIONS WITH 93 GEDS. THE INSTITUTE ALSO CO-AUTHORED AND DISSEMINATED A CASE STUDY WITH UCSD'S SENIOR EMERGENCY CARE UNIT TO SHARE THE CLINICAL AND FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE GERIATRIC EMERGENCY NURSE INITIATIVE EXPERT, WHO FOCUSES ON REDUCING HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH COMPLEX, LOW-ACUITY CONDITIONS. - IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH COLLABORATION #2 [HEALTH SYSTEM/HOSPITAL RESEARCH PARTNERS: KAISER PERMANENTE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING 9 HOSPITAL FACILITIES]: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PERMANENTE MEDICAL GROUP (SCPMG) IS A LEADING DRIVER IN CLINICAL CARE FOR OVER 4 MILLION MEMBERS, AND WITH AN AGING POPULATION SCPMG RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO PROVIDE GERIATRIC SPECIFIC EMERGENCY CARE TO ITS REGIONAL MEMBERS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHI, AS PART OF A 2024 HEALTH QUALITY IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH INITIATIVE, 9 HOSPITALS PURSUED GED ACCREDITATION. TO MAGNIFY THE IMPACT OF THIS COLLABORATION BEYOND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SCPMG PRESENTED THIS INITIATIVE TO LEADERS AT A FALL-PREVENTION SYMPOSIUM, REPRESENTING ALL SEVEN (7) KAISER PERMANENTE REGIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. - IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH COLLABORATION #3 [HEALTH SYSTEM/HOSPITAL RESEARCH PARTNERS: 8 HOSPITAL FACILITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA] IN A SIMILAR MANNER AS THE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS WITH UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH AND KAISER (ABOVE), WHI CONTINUED THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (HASC) TO ENABLE SPREAD AND ADOPTION OF THE GED MODEL WITH 8 HOSPITALS RECEIVING ACCREDITATION IN 2024. GED PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION [HEALTH SYSTEM/HOSPITAL RESEARCH PARTNERS: CLEVELAND CLINIC] IN 2024, THE INSTITUTE'S COLLABORATION WITH CLEVELAND CLINIC CULMINATED IN A STUDY OF THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE CLINICAL VARIATION IN SCREENING AT TRIAGE AND TO IMPROVE CLINICAL CARE. SPECIFICALLY, THE STUDY DESCRIBED A NOVEL RISK STRATIFICATION TOOL AND HOW IT DROVE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF DELIRIUM SCREENINGS FOR HIGH-RISK OLDER ADULTS AT TRIAGE. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE NEW RISK-STRATIFIED APPROACH INCREASED IDENTIFICATION OF AT-RISK PATIENTS, SCREENING COMPLETION, AND DETECTION OF PATIENTS WITH SUBTLE DELIRIUM PRESENTATION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING ED VISIT LENGTH OR NURSING BURDEN. THIS WORK RESULTED IN A CO-AUTHORED MANUSCRIPT AND WAS PRESENTED AT TWO NATIONAL CONFERENCES. DEMONSTRATE GED IMPACT VIA A GED DASHBOARD [HEALTH SYSTEM/HOSPITAL RESEARCH PARTNERS: MULTIPLE (30+) HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS NATIONWIDE] IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS WHI LAUNCHED THE CLOUD-BASED GERIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (GED) DASHBOARD, A MECHANISM MADE DIRECTLY AVAILABLE TO HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL ED SITES TO TRACK QUALITY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH AGGREGATE LEVEL DATA. TWENTY SIX ACCREDITED EDS ENROLLED AND SIXTEEN WERE ACTIVELY SUBMITTING DATA BY YEAR END, 2024. BUILDING CASE FOR SUSTAINABILITY GERIATRIC EMERGENCY CARE [HEALTH SYSTEM/HOSPITAL RESEARCH PARTNERS: CLEVELAND CLINIC] IN 2024, WEST HEALTH INSTITUTE EXTENDED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEVELAND CLINIC (CC) TO STUDY THE PROCESS AND PROTOCOLS OF THE VARIOUS CLEVELAND CLINIC GED SITES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HIGH-RISK GERIATRIC PATIENT OUTCOMES AND UNDERSTAND THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI). IN SPECIFIC SUPPORT OF RESEARCH INTO THE ROI, OUR 2024 P
- $219,866 spent. AMERICA'S HEALTH CARE COST CRISIS REMAINS A PRESSING ISSUE FOR OLDER ADULTS AND THE NATION AT LARGE. THE US HEALTH SYSTEM CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WORLD IN COST, WHILE CONTINUING TO UNDERPERFORM IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES AND PATIENT SATISFACTION. IN 2024, THE GARY AND MARY WEST HEALTH INSTITUTE (WHI OR INSTITUTE) REMAINED COMMITTED TO PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CONDUCTING APPLIED MEDICAL RESEARCH TO HELP PROVIDE UNBIASED AND RELIABLE DATA AND FINDINGS THAT ENABLE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE US HEALTH SYSTEM TO CHART A COURSE TO HEALTHCARE THAT IS MORE AFFORDABLE AND ULTIMATELY A BETTER VALUE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN AMERICA. THE WEST HEALTH INSTITUTE'S AREAS OF FOCUS IN ADDRESSING THE COST OF HEALTHCARE OVER THE PAST YEAR CONTINUED TO BE CENTERED AROUND CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND SHARING STATISTICS THAT CAN BE USED IN RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE SIZE AND URGENCY OF THIS ISSUE, LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, AND INCREASING PRICE TRANSPARENCY WITH A GOAL OF HIGHLIGHTING, AND EVENTUALLY ENABLING THE REDUCTION OF, OUT-OF-CONTROL HEALTHCARE SERVICE PRICING. KEY TO THIS WORK WAS OUR CONSTRUCTIVE COLLABORATIONS WITH LIKE-MINDED, HIGHLY RESPECTED ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE DUKE-MARGOLIS CENTER FOR HEALTH POLICY, US OF CARE, FAMILIES USA, THE NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR STATE HEALTH POLICY, KENNEDY FORUM, AND THE HEALTHCARE COST INSTITUTE. GENERATE DATA THAT HIGHLIGHTS TO THE NATURE AND MAGNITUDE OF THE HEALTH SPENDING CRISIS TO FOCUS THE ATTENTION OF POLICYMAKERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE HEALTHCARE CRISIS, WHI UNDERTOOK A VARIETY OF KEY PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKER EDUCATION AND AWARENESS STRATEGIES IN 2024. THESE STRATEGIES INCLUDE CONTINUING OUR HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL POLLING ACTIVITIES WITH GALLUP AND OTHERS WHICH HAS REVEALED THE FAILING GRADES GIVEN TO THE US HEALTHCARE SYSTEM BY THE PUBLIC AND THE UNACCEPTABLE RESULTS (INCLUDING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, WORSENING MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AND DEATH) OF HIGH HEALTHCARE COSTS. IN 2024, WE HAD FOUR HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL RELEASES; TWO RELATED TO PERCEIVED DEFICIENCIES IN ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, ONE RELATED TO PERCEPTIONS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, AND OUR LARGE WEST HEALTH-GALLUP 2024 SURVEY ON AGING IN AMERICA. WE ALSO RELEASED VERSION 2.0 OF OUR INTERACTIVE WEST HEALTH-GALLUP DATA DASHBOARD, WHICH SERVES AS A TOOL FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, POLICYMAKERS, AND THE PUBLIC TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS TOWARD HEALTHCARE, AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO AVOID PUTTING THE HEALTH OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AT RISK. CONTINUE TO DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTHCARE COST AND AGING ISSUES AT STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS AND POLICY FIXES WHI CONTINUED TO ADVANCE COLLABORATIONS PRODUCING RESEARCH DESIGNED TO HIGHLIGHT PATHS FORWARD FOR POLICYMAKERS TO CONSIDER HOW TO BEND THE HEALTH COST CURVE. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER REVIEWING THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER (PBM) REFORMS PROPOSED BY THE CURRENT CONGRESS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND MET WITH SEVERAL PARTNERS AND LAWMAKERS ABOUT THE FINDINGS. LAUNCH OF AN ACADEMY TO ENGAGE TEAMS OF STATE LEADERS FROM SIX STATES TO WORK WITH PEERS AND EXPERTS TO IDENTIFY AND SHARE STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF AGING POLICY. PARTNERING WITH THE DUKE-MARGOLIS CENTER FOR HEALTH POLICY TO PURSUE ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES TO SPREAD AND SCALE VALUE-BASED CARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS COLLABORATION IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND HOME-BASED CARE IN MEDICARE AND VIA CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID INNOVATION (CMMI) MODELS. COLLABORATION WITH THE HEALTH CARE COST INSTITUTE (HCCI) ON ANALYSES OF COMMERCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS WHICH HIGHLIGHTED HIGH PROVIDER PRICING AND EXPLORATION OF WAYS THAT EMPLOYERS AND POLICYMAKERS COULD ENGAGE MORE TO LOWER HEALTHCARE SPENDING ON EMPLOYER-BASED INSURANCE. PARTNERING WITH THE KENNEDY FORUM TO INCORPORATE A LIFE COURSE APPROACH (INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS) TO IMPROVE THE PARITY BETWEEN COVERAGE OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL SERVICES IN COMMERCIAL INSURANCE AS WELL AS IN DISCUSSIONS AROUND REIMBURSEMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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