Welcome to Kaiser Permanente and the Department of Pediatrics.

I hope that you will enjoy coming here for your child's care. I strongly believe in a teamwork approach, where the patient, parents, and pediatrician work together toward promoting the child's health.

All of our patients are asked to choose one primary care provider (PCP). Having continuity of care is important, so my hope is that you will see me for every visit, whether for well child care or for illness. Your child may still see other providers if I am on vacation or unavailable. Your child may also see other providers at evening or weekend clinics if there are urgent medical concerns. However, my goal is that you won't say that you're seeing ''one of the Kaiser docs,'' but rather, ''MY pediatrician.'' By knowing your child well, I can better answer your questions and concerns, address problems, and help you navigate through all the services available through Kaiser.

Just as I know that you have high expectations of me, I also have high expectations of you as parents. I expect that you will attend appointments with your children, especially well child visits and physicals. The child's parent or legal guardian must be present so that I can get an adequate history, provide anticipatory guidance, and give informed consent for immunizations or other treatments. I would like you to be present so that I can give you direct advice and answer your questions.

Most pediatric illnesses are self-resolving. If you simply need advice, our call center, (916) 784-4190, provides excellent advice, 24 hours a day. Our trained nurses can provide home care instructions and advise you on whether or not your child needs to be seen. If our call center cannot provide you with the information you need, you can leave a message for me, and I will return your call as soon as possible.

If you need an appointment, please call as early in the day as possible. I set aside time each day for patients with urgent medical problems. However, if you wait too long, these appointment slots may be taken, and you may need to be seen by another provider. If your medical problem is nonurgent, I would encourage you to schedule your appointment for a future date with me, rather than taking the first available appointment with another provider.

When calling for an appointment, clearly state the reason for your visit. Let us know if you have multiple concerns or if you would like to have more than one child seen. Don't be shy or embarrassed, telling the call center that you're coming in for a cold when you really have bigger concerns on your mind! We can allot more time for chronic or complex medical problems, but only if you let us know about it. If enough time is not allotted, then you may be asked to return for another visit.

Well child visits and physicals are scheduled weeks to months in advance. If your child is an infant, we will generally give you an appointment or put you on the booking list for the next well child visit. However, if your child is 3 years old or older, you are responsible for calling for an appointment for a physical. Please call well in advance to schedule your child's physical, especially if your child will need a form filled out for daycare, kindergarten, school, camp, or sports.

Finally, if you have concerns about your treatment here at Kaiser, please let me know! We are constantly trying to improve ourselves. I am very proud to be part of this organization, and I believe that you and your family will receive excellent care at Kaiser.