Specialty Psychiatry Facility South Sacramento Medical Center Inpatient Psychiatry Address Located at Sierra Vista Hospital 8001 Bruceville Rd Sacramento CA 95823 Map & Directions Telephone Information: 916-688-2000 Fax: 916-288-0457 E-mail your doctor View your preventive services

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Welcome!

My name is Elmer Gurmai, M.D. I grew up in Romania, where I completed my medical school training. I practiced in Romania and Hungary, prior to coming to the USA and am proficient in both languages. Initially I was involved with internal medicine but later on, following my heart, I switched to psychiatry. After completing my residency in psychiatry I served for a while as assistant clinical professor at UCD until I joined Kaiser in 2002.

My medical interest is focused on adult psychiatry with emphasis on hospital work. I enjoy working in the hospital because I have the ability to help those who need it most. The work is very intense; we see our patients daily, and we cooperate in finding that way which leads the fastest to results. I believe in team work, where the patient is part of the team and participates actively. Although we are doing our best, we cannot "cure" nor can we do the work for our patient. We can only offer a partnership, where we show the way, based on science and clinical experience, but the hard work is done by our patients. In the process there is suffering, and tears are being shed. Some of our patients do not want to be in the hospital, but have to be, for their own safety. Some do not want to take medication, but have to, because it is part of the treatment. And some want addictive medication, which we are reluctant to prescribe. Most of our patients, however, feel safe in the hospital and become their own doctors by following with discipline what science and good care prescribes. It is very painful to be in the hospital far from the loved ones, but sometimes a brief hospitalization is unavoidable. Ultimately, our success is due to the hard work of our patients; and our ultimate goal is to return our patients to their loved ones, hopefully in better emotional state and more able to tackle the problems of everyday life.

I joined Kaiser Permanente in 2002. I was attracted to this organization by its fame for good care, putting the patient first and maintaining a competitive edge in the practice of medicine. I have not been disappointed. We have numerous role models in our more senior physicians, who are not just extremely well trained but also very hard working and compassionate. Our equipment is state of the art and continuously updated. We are introducing daily new technology and computerizing our charting. As a more recent event, we are introducing secure messaging with our patients through e-mail. All this leads ultimately to enhancement of the quality of our care, and I am proud to be part of the process.

Physically I am working at Sierra Vista Hospital. Although our organization does not own this facility, our presence here influences the process and results in constant improvement of care.

Finally, I would like to encourage patients and family members to click on the links of my home page and navigate through the different areas of psychiatry. We have information in English and Spanish. We have links to different diseases and support groups, and we offer ways of relieving stress and living healthy.

My hobbies revolve around practicing different sport activities like swimming, ping pong, tennis etc. Reading is also high on my list. It is a good way to go to places one cannot reach... For the ones I can reach, there is the occasional travel I take to different parts of the country or other more remote places. This is a good way to expand ones horizon and meet new people. I have other interests, too, like following political and economic events, going to movies, or simply to take a relaxing walk.

I thank you for taking your time to visit my page. Please accept me as a partner in helping you or your loved ones to find relief from suffering and a way to return to a healthy and productive life.

My Credentials

Medical school	Universitatea De Medicina Si Farmacie -medicina, Timisoara, Romania
Residency	UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
Board certification	Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

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