Although I grew up in the small town of Koloa on Kauai and went barefoot to school until the eighth grade, I knew I wanted to practice medicine from an early age. My mother was a nurse in a rural plantation clinic, and I used to hang out there after school when I was young. Because many of the young doctors staffing the clinic were transplants from the Mainland, my mother would often invite them over for dinner. It was growing up in that stimulating setting that sparked my desire to become a physician.
Practicing internal medicine is satisfying because it provides me with the challenge of coming up with a diagnosis and solving problems, along with the opportunity to develop long-term personal relationships with my patients. I am particularly interested in hospice and palliative medicine and have received additional training in that area. One thing I appreciate about working at Hawaii Permanente Medical Group (HPMG) is the opportunity it affords me to be creative: to take advantage of our integrated system of care and create innovative programs that enhance teamwork, communication, and coordination of care. I believe in delivering the right care at the right time at the right place, with the foundation being the doctor-patient relationship. I especially enjoy being able to support patients’ needs as an inpatient palliative care consultant. My goal is to meet the needs of my patients in all areas: physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. At HPMG, I am a leader in our home health care program. I founded the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center that has been in existence and staffed by Kaiser Permanente volunteers since 1987. Teaching has been another interest of mine, and I have additional training in medical pedagogy, including in Problem-Based Learning. I also have completed courses in leadership and team-building.
As an avid reader, I enjoy reading books on medicine, general science, religion and business, as well as mystery novels. I run regularly and participate in races. I reset my batteries daily with a time of solitude, meditation, and Scripture reading. Because I enjoy cultivating relationships, I try to meet regularly with people from a variety of walks of life. I also love participating in and observing the activities of my four sons.
