|
Department Hours
| Closed | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | Closed |
Hello, & Welcome to my Home Page!
As a specialist in geriatrics and the primary care provider for patients in the skilled nursing facilities, I am experienced and proficient in managing the unique medical needs of skilled nursing patients. Please rest assured that I will communicate with your primary care physician regarding your condition, treatment, changes in medications, and follow up care. Your primary care physician will resume your care after you are discharged from the facility. I will be the primary care provider for those of you who will continue to reside at the nursing facility on a long term basis. I will visit regularly as well as when needed for unexpected problems.
My Background...
I volunteered in nursing homes in Elementary School... wrote articles on the lives of people residing in nursing facilities in High School... practiced home health care during and after college, caring for debilitated elderly in their homes... volunteered for Hospice... and spent one summer working as a CNA in a nursing home. This was when I realized I wanted a career in medicine caring for the unique needs of the elderly. My mentor was an osteopathic physician... his focus on holistic care and hands-on approach to caring for people lead me to apply only to osteopathic medical schools... which brought me to Kirksville, Missouri, home of the first osteopathic medical school. This was quite a culture shock to a native Californian who has never experienced living & driving in the snow and ice. After 4 years in Missouri, and 1 year in Indianapolis for internship, I moved back West, to Scottsdale, AZ. Here I completed residency at Mayo Clinic, followed by a geriatric fellowship in Sun City, AZ. I proceeded to work in Sun City for two years as the Medical Director of a skilled nursing facility, as well as the Lead Subacute Hospitalist. I was also faculty for the geriatric fellowship program, teaching the subacute care rotation. Fortunately, I relocated to Northern California, near my family and practicing for Kaiser Permanente in the field I am most passionate about. My clinical interests include palliative care, pain management, and dementia... mainly providing quality care to patients during their transition from the hospital into a rehabilitation setting and on to the next phase of their life. In addition to practicing medicine, I enjoy jogging through the redwoods, walking on the beach, traveling to beautiful places, taking lots of pictures, and spending quality time with my new family.
My Philosophy of Care
I am a strong believer in quality of life. I respect the wishes of the patients. My goal is to aid people in feeling comfortable, cared for, and listened to. This is especially important during transitions such as decline in health or a change in living condition. I believe that pain and fear should not be part of life, especially not near the end of life. I work with the mind and body to assist people to achieve and maintain peace and comfort while they are under my care. I understand that being in a skilled nursing facility can be emotionally difficult, but can be a positive experience if treated with respect and dignity.
I hope you find my Home Page helpful. In addition to the resources linked to the left, I've also selected some other web sites you might find useful:
American Geriatrics Society
California Geriatrics Society
American Osteopathic Association
My Credentials
| Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, MO |
| Westview Osteopathic Hospital, Indianapolis, IN |
| Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ |
| Sun Health Resource Center, Sun City, AZ |
| Family Practice, American Board of Family Medicine |
| Geriatric Medicine, American Board of Family Medicine |
Kaiser Permanente Member Resources
Find a Physician
Appointments/Rx refills
Health Encyclopedia
La Guía en Español
Privacy Statement
Terms & Conditions
|
|
Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.
This site may contain links to other web sites outside of www.permanente.net. Kaiser Permanente has no control over the content or the availability of these sites, and is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites. Web links are provided as an educational tool, and should not be relied upon for personal diagnosis or treatment. A link or reference to a web site should not be construed as an endorsement of the site or its contents. Any medical content that you feel may be important to your health should always be discussed with your Kaiser Permanente physician.
|
