Specialty Geriatric Medicine Facility Oakland Medical Center Continuing Care Telephone Skilled Nursing Facility Advice (24 hours)/Messages: 510-675-5500 Fax: (510) 675-5501 E-mail your doctor View your preventive services

About Me

I didn’t always want to be a doctor, despite the story my father told about me saying I wanted to be a brain surgeon when I was three! I got my first degree at Cal expecting to work in local government, and it was not until after graduation that I realized medicine was the field in which I could truly be happy. I returned to Cal as a part of the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program; once in medical school, I soon noticed that the patients I enjoyed the most were the elderly ones—and that not many other students enjoyed taking care of them as much as I did. I also knew that I wanted to come to Kaiser to practice medicine—I was born at the Oakland Kaiser, had all of my childhood medical care there, and have always felt this system is the best way to deliver medical care. I was thrilled to be able to come to Kaiser Oakland in 1985 to continue my medical training, and completed both a residency in Internal medicine and a year as one of the medicine Chief Residents. I was honored to be able to join the Department of Medicine here in 1989.

Although I started my practice at Kaiser in general medicine, I soon was able to pursue my interest in geriatrics by taking care of Kaiser patients in nursing homes. I also studied to become certified in geriatric medicine, so that I could be better qualified to take care of the population I most enjoyed. As that population has become larger, with more complex and specialized care needs, I was offered the opportunity to disband my general medicine practice in order to take care of patients living in skilled nursing facilities exclusively. Although I do miss my general medicine practice, I love caring for the patients in skilled nursing facilities, and am constantly challenged and gratified by the work that I do. I also have additional education and expertise in hospice and palliative care medicine, and am honored to care for patients and their families during the last stages of their lives.

The care that Kaiser patients receive in skilled nursing facilities is second to none. Kaiser now has its own skilled nursing facility, the Kaiser Permanente Post-Acute Care Center (KPPACC) in San Leandro, where patients from throughout Northern California receive a skilled level of care. We also have patients in custodial facilities throughout the East Bay; in both settings, our team of dedicated physicians and nurse practitioners cares for our patients. We try to provide most services in the SNF, although some diagnostic studies and subspecialty care do need to be scheduled at Kaiser. Patients and families who need to reach any of the MDs or NPs caring for Kaiser patients in SNFs should call the Kaiser SNF Advice Center at 510-675-5500; the MDs and NPs are seldom at the Oakland Medical Center, and are not always able to check email, so leaving messages with the Advice Nurses is always the best way to reach us.

I try to spend whatever spare time I have with my family—my husband, who works for the City of Oakland helping to provide housing for low-income people, and my sons, aged 15 and 11. They keep my non-working life very busy, and I feel very lucky to be a part of their lives! I also enjoy gardening (though you wouldn’t know it by looking at my yard), growing orchids, and skiing.

My Credentials

Medical school	UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Residency	Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Oakland, CA
Board certification	Geriatric Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
Board certification	Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

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