Richard (Rick) S. Dlott, MD is the Managing Director of Fourthflight. Fourthflight’s mission is to help companies and groups optimize health care via education, member-focused care delivery, and emerging technologies. Rick retired from a 28+ year career with The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) / Kaiser Permanente Northern California in early 2022.

During his career at TPMG, Rick served as Senior Physician and Chief of Endocrinology in the Diablo Service Area, Chair of the Regional Endocrine Chiefs Group, Regional Clinical Lead for Diabetes Care, Regional Clinical Lead for Lab optimization, and Regional Medical Director for Population Care. He co-developed and oversaw the TPMG EMR-integrated quality tool supporting member-specific quality efforts by primary and specialty care providers and their support staff.

As Regional Diabetes Clinical Lead, Rick developed RN and Pharmacy protocols for care managers and led educational programs to help provide optimal diabetes care. As Medical Director for Population Care, Rick recruited and mentored Clinical Physician Leads and oversaw the TPMG Regional quality programs for Asthma Care, Cardiovascular Care – including Heart Failure, Cardiac Rehab, and Cardio-vascular risk reduction via Hypertension and Lipid Management, as well as Diabetes, Hepatitis B and C, Fracture Prevention / Osteoporosis and the TPMG COVID home care program. Rick and his teams were instrumental in achieving the consistent and impressive national quality performance of KP Northern California in NCQA-HEDIS and Medicare Stars.

In his roles, he collaborated with Regional and Medical Center based programs and departments, including Pharmacy, Physician and Health Education, the Division of Research, Documentation and Coding, Chiefs groups and other leaders.

Dr. Dlott earned his MD degree from the University of Southern California. His Internal Medicine training was at UCLA and his Endocrine Fellowship was back at USC.

Rick and his wife Bonnie live in the east Bay Area of California and enjoy hiking, cooking, gardening and travel.