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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 |
My Credentials
| UC Los Angeles, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA |
| Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Oakland, CA |
| Veterans Administration Medical Center, Martinez, CA |
| Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine |
| Medical Oncology, American Board of Internal Medicine |
Joined Kaiser in: 1977
Faculty: Clinical Instructor, Medicine, University of California San Francisco
Welcome to my home page.
My name is Jim Simons and I specialize in hematology-oncology. In addition, I am a primary care internist to a group of approximately 400 patients, most of whom have been with me for at least ten years.
Hematology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of blood disorders. Oncology, which occupies most of my time, involves the management of the entire spectrum of malignancies in the adult. Oncologists prescribe chemotherapy as well as a variety of other agents for the treatment of cancer.
Oncology is ever changing. During my tenure of 21 years there have been a number of dramatic changes in our field. For example, when I began, there was only one useful drug in the treatment of colon cancer. Now there are five, two of which were introduced within the last year. This has led to significant improvement in outcome for our patients. In addition, the supportive care for oncology patients has improved dramatically. The problem of nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy, for example, has been reduced substantially thanks to the introduction of a number of remarkably effective drugs over the past ten years.
My career at Kaiser Permanente has been a very happy one. I enjoy practicing in an environment where financial considerations are never a barrier to care. All medical decisions rest entirely in my hands. I am supported by a large group of gifted colleagues, including surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and superb chemotherapy nurses. My four colleagues in oncology have over 75 years of combined experience and are trusted sources of advice. I am able to offer my patients state-of-the-art care in all respects because of the help of this large and talented team.
My practice philosophy centers around providing to patients the most reliable and objective information regarding their choice for treatment. I want them to make the most informed choice possible regarding their treatment. There are times, when the goal is cure or long-term control, that the most appropriate treatment involves aggressive and potentially toxic chemotherapy. At other times it is wisest to offer other means to control symptoms. My recommendations are based on my knowledge and experience, although the final treatment decision always rests with the patient. I have a strong interest in palliative care and optimizing quality of life. This stems, in part, from my ten-year tenure as medical director of our excellent hospice program.
On a personal note, I am a native Californian and have been married for over thirty years. I have three wonderful children. The oldest is a pediatric resident at their hospital. The other two are about to enter training as a nurse and a speech pathologist.
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