Facility Walnut Creek Medical Center Department of Gastroenterology Address 1425 S. Main Street Medical Office Building 2nd Floor Walnut Creek CA 94596 Antioch Medical Center 4501 Sand Creek Road Sand Creek Medical Offices, 2nd Floor Antioch CA 94531 Map & Directions Telephone Appt/Advice: (925) 295-4080 Cancellation: (925) 295-4080 E-mail your doctor View your preventive services

Department Hours

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
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
Closed during lunch, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Welcome to My Home Page

About Me

I have had the privilege of practicing medicine with Kaiser Permanente since January of 2000. My initial contact with this organization was during my gastroenterology fellowship in 1995, when I participated in a research project with Dr. Joe Selby, Director of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, and Dr. Albert Palitz, Chief of Gastroenterology in the Diablo Service Area. We worked together on a study of the largest flexible sigmoidoscopy colorectal cancer screening program in the world, the Kaiser Permanente Colorectal Cancer Prevention (CoCaP) program. My first position after completing my fellowship was as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, I maintained my research ties to Kaiser Permanente, and eventually moved my clinical practice and all of my research there, while maintaining my voluntary teaching position at UCSF.

I chose medicine as a career because it allows me to combine my interest in analytical thinking with a chance to connect with people on a personal level, and participate with them in some of the most important events of their lives. My gastroenterology practice allows me to directly visualize the source of many people’s problems through endoscopy, without having to perform invasive surgery.

Kaiser Permanente has allowed me to be free of the difficult fee-for-service reimbursement system I had experience previously. I decide with my patients what the correct course of action is to diagnose or treat their condition, and then implement our shared decision. My work at Kaiser Permanente has allowed me to combine my interest in research with the personal satisfaction of working with an individual patient as we develop a solution to their problem. Essentially, I have the opportunity to work on the broad issues of colorectal cancer screening policy and research and on the personal level with individuals. My research and policy work allows me to work on problems that might take several years to solve, while my patient practice allows me to solve some problems in just 15 or 30 minutes.

My Philosophy

In general, I believe in a shared approach to health care decision-making. I will give you as much information as I can, and make suggestions about what I think will be the right course of action for you, but the ultimate decision will be yours. Unless you agree with my recommendations, you are unlikely to follow my advice. I will work as hard as I can to patiently explain why I think an approach is justified, and then listen to your views, concerns, and alternative explanations. Together, we will develop an approach to your health care that is scientifically and medically sound, but that feels comfortable for you.

My Interests and Affiliations

As a result of our work on CoCaP, I have been asked to serve on national colorectal cancer screening guideline committees of the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force. I have also been able to join with people performing screening across the world as part of the International Colorectal Cancer Screening Network, which met for the first time in May 2004 in London, England. I have also been involved with the Colorectal Cancer Screening Roundtable as part of their Quality Assurance Task Group. We are trying to ensure that colorectal cancer screening is delivered across the country in an evidence-based, high quality way.

When I’m Not Working…

You’ll usually find me doing something with my wife or one of my three daughters, such as helping out on school field trips, with soccer teams, or reading books together. I also spend a fair amount of time writing medical papers and preparing and giving talks at medical meetings. When I have time, I enjoy running and an occasional round of golf.

Some Web Sites I Recommend

For general gastroenterology information: The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)

For patients with hepatitis or other liver diseases: The American Liver Foundation

For patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease): The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)

For patients with celiac disease: The Celiac Disease Foundation

For patients with irritable bowel syndrome, functional (non-ulcer) dyspepsia and esophageal reflux: The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)

My Credentials

Medical school	Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Residency	UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Fellowship	UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Board certification	Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
Board certification	Gastroenterology, American Board of Internal Medicine

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