Download Diablo Service Area

ROBERT ANDERSON, MD
Medicine
Diablo Service Area
Calm, kind and caring, Dr. Anderson is, in all respects,
a consummate physician. His excellent clinical abilities
are matched by his devotion to his patients and his
concern for colleagues and staff. His patients know he
will give them his full attention when they come in to
see him, for however long is needed. He defines his
role as an internist broadly, seeing himself not only as
a physician but also as an advocate, coach, encourager,
enabler, and giver of hope. His patients appreciate his
commitment to helping them tackle problems as they
arise and his dedication to keeping them well both
physically and spiritually under his care.
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RAKESH BHUTANI, MD
Oncology
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Bhutani is deeply devoted to his patients, and
places their needs and care above all else. An
outstanding physician, he serves as Associate Chief
of Oncology at Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek,
and works harmoniously with the Cancer Center team
to provide timely and compassionate cancer care. His
colleagues and staff respect and admire him for his
commitment to taking patients through difficult life
situations and helping them heal from physical and
emotional traumas. His unique perspective on issues
and his easy going personality make him the “go
to guy” whenever anyone has a problem. A leader
and beloved mentor, he works tirelessly to make the
Oncology department the absolute best it can be.
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MICHAEL COLBURN, DPM
Podiatry
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Colburn became interested in helping others in
high school while working as a counselor, lifeguard,
and coach for disabled children. He has been an
outstanding podiatric physician and surgeon with
TPMG in the Diablo Service Area for over 20 years.
Caring and compassionate, he has dedicated his career
to being an educator as well as to providing high
quality medical care. In addition to seeing patients for
the Department of Podiatric Surgery, he serves as the
Site Coordinator for our Podiatric Surgical Residency
Program and as Sub-Chief for the Department of
Orthopedics, Division of Podiatric Surgery. He is
well-known for his treatment of pediatric clubfoot
deformities utilizing the non-surgical Ponseti Method,
which relies on gentle mobilization and casting of
the infant’s feet. So successful has he been with this
approach that he has treated patients from as far away
as Singapore and Egypt.
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JEROME DECK, JR., MD
Medicine
Diablo Service Area
With consummate communication and clinical skills,
Dr. Deck is a role model to his colleagues. His patients
appreciate his dedication to sitting down with them and
figuring out how to thrive and enjoy life to its fullest. As
a Communication Consultant, he supports not only his
own department, but any department that requests his
expertise. His training sessions in communication skills
are packed not only with useful information but also
with humor and empathy for our roles as health care
providers. His colleagues respect and admire him for his
profound fund of knowledge, and many seek his advice
about difficult clinical cases. Considered a “doctor’s
doctor,” he cares for many of the physicians in
Pleasanton as well as their families.
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RICHARD EGAN, MD
Urology
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Egan retired in 2007 after 31 years with TPMG.
A pillar of the Department of Urology, he was a master
of open surgery, highly sought after as an assisting
partner for unusual cases, because of his vast
experience, which he was so willing to share. Stepping
into his office was like entering a temple of urologic
wisdom for patients and colleagues alike. Everyone
looked forward to their interactions with him, and
thoroughly enjoyed his capacity to find humor in so
many things in the course of the day.
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STEVEN FRESHMAN, MD
Surgery
Diablo Service Area
A tireless physician who gives generously of himself,
Dr. Freshman takes on the most difficult of cases in the
complex field of colorectal surgery. Warm, genuine,
trusted and respected for his wise counsel, he serves
as the Associate Chief of the Department of Surgery
as well as the Associate Chief of Hospital Utilization at
the Walnut Creek Medical Center. In his practice, he is
dedicated to giving his patients thorough explanations,
involving them fully in clinical decision making, and
offering them the same quality of care that he would
expect any of his family members to receive.
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KATHERINE GALLAGHER, MD
Pediatrics
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Gallagher joined TPMG in 1976, the year the
Martinez Medical Offices opened. She faithfully
served a devoted group of patients at the Martinez
Pediatric Clinic for many years, until she decided to
become a full-time pediatric hospitalist at the Walnut
Creek Medical Center. With a calm, warm manner and
excellent clinical skills, she provides the best possible
care, using her listening skills to learn as much as
possible about her patients’ health and activities. A
team player, she is known for arriving in the middle
of the night when an extra pediatrician is needed for
a multiple birth delivery or other emergencies. Her
generous heart extends well beyond the medical center
to her volunteer work. A Girl Scout Troop Leader for
many years, she now serves on the Board of Directors
for the Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area, helps as
a trainer, teaching first aid and backpacking, and serves
as a counselor at summer camp. She also participates
in medical missions abroad.
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ROBERT GRANT, MD
HBS
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Grant is the ideal Hospital Based Specialist:
compassionate, caring, personable, and very
efficient. The son of one of TPMG’s founding
physicians, he has practiced in Walnut Creek since
1975. Very supportive of younger physicians in the
department and extremely dedicated to his patients,
he is a champion of treating others with respect, and
lends dignity to the lives of everyone around him—
members, co-workers, and colleagues. Unabashedly
friendly, he creates an atmosphere of joy and
excitement wherever he is. Share a laugh with him,
and you can’t help but feel you have made a friend.
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MARGARET HEGG, MD
Medicine
Diablo Service Area
A pillar of the Department of Adult Medicine, Dr. Hegg
generously shares her vast experience and knowledge
with her colleagues. A gifted leader, she created the
Hospital Based Specialist Team at Mt. Diablo. She
serves as Chief of Medical Legal in the Diablo Service
Area, and has been Assistant Chief of Medicine,
Medical Staff President, and Physician-in-Charge at
the Park Shadelands Medical Offices. Her patients think
highly of her, knowing that she always keeps their best
interests in mind. In recognition of her commitment to
her patients, her TPMG colleagues have honored her
with a prestigious Career of Caring Award.
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PAUL HO, MD
Interventional Radiology
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Ho is dedicated to high quality service, and pitches
in wherever he is needed to ensure that procedures are
performed in a timely manner. An excellent clinician
in a rapidly changing and advancing field, he makes
even the most difficult cases look easy. In addition
to his practice, he serves in a leadership role as the
section Sub-Chief of Interventional Radiology. A tireless
worker with a great sense of humor, he earns respect
and admiration for the opened minded and friendly
relations he enjoys with patients, colleagues and staff.
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LOURDES JIMENEZ, MD
Medicine
Diablo Service Area
A strong and caring leader, Dr. Jimenez devotes
seemingly endless energy to improving the Medicine
department at the Antioch Delta Fair facility. As Chief
of Adult Medicine for Kaiser Permanente, Delta Fair
Medical Offices and Deer Valley Medical Offices in
Antioch, she has made major contributions to our
growth. Her colleagues respect and admire her for her
positive disposition and her consistent willingness to
find time to discuss their needs. Her strong interest
in diversity led to the creation of the first Spanishspeaking Medicine Module in the Diablo Service
Area. Her leadership and achievements have been
recognized with a Career of Caring award, one of
the highest honors bestowed by TPMG.
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JEFFREY MAIER, MD
Women’s Health
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Maier has been the backbone of the Diablo
Perinatal Service since 1989. Under his guidance,
the service has become a model of excellence and
efficiency. He has provided consultative expertise to
physicians at seven sites and two hospitals, offering
round-the-clock clinical advice and professional support
for the most challenging high risk obstetrical cases.
His technical proficiency, calming bedside manner, and
determination to perfect systems and workflows have
catapulted him into the forefront of hospital leadership.
He has made major contributions through his own
exceptional patient care and his tireless pursuit of
superior obstetric care for our members.
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MARTIN MAZAR, MD
Pulmonary &
Critical Care Medicine
Diablo Service Area
A dedicated physician and leader, Dr. Mazar serves as
Chief of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine in the Diablo
Service Area. He has also served as Chair of the Regional
Pulmonary Chiefs and Chair of the Adult Asthma
Guideline Committee. In addition to seeing patients for
the Department of Pulmonology, he cares for critically
ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit. His colleagues
admire and respect him for his fairness and his dedication
to engaging others and listening to their point of view
before reaching a decision. His quiet sense of self and
willingness to learn have been assets in his successful
effort to guide and expand his department.
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PATRICK MULLIN, MD
Pediatrics
Diablo Service Area
If there were a model for the consummate
pediatrician, it would be Dr. Mullin, who combines
outstanding clinical skills with true compassion for his
patients and their families. He has a special ability to
communicate with his patients in a way that shows
how much he truly cares about children. His patients,
both old and new, reciprocate this devotion, awarding
him high ratings for his care and service. He has cared
for patients at the Kaiser Permanente Pleasanton
Medical Offices since 1983. He also sees patients at
the Walnut Creek Medical Center and at the facility’s
Intensive Care Nursery. In addition to these roles, he
serves as Chief of the Department of Pediatrics for our
seven outpatient sites in the Diablo Service Area.
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KATHERINE NELDNER, MD
Infectious Disease
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Neldner is the champion of champions when it
comes to preventing and treating infectious disease.
Over the past decade she has educated thousands of
patients and hundreds of physicians in the Diablo Service
Area about disease prevention. In addition to seeing
hospitalized patients at the Walnut Creek Medical
Center, she consults about infectious diseases with
patients at the Walnut Creek Medical Offices and the
HIV Clinic at the Martinez Medical Offices. She serves
as Chief of Infectious Diseases, Director of Infection
Control, and Director of Infusion Services for the
Diablo Service Area, and is the physician liaison to the
HIV Clinic. Skilled and compassionate, she has made
patient safety and high quality care her career mission.
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HELEN O’KEEFFE, MD
Anesthesiology
Diablo Service Area
At a time when few women were entering the medical
field as physicians, let alone being department chiefs,
Dr. O’Keeffe rose to the challenge of leading the Walnut
Creek Anesthesia Department. Always calm, good humored,
and even tempered, she effectively dealt with the many
challenges that arose in running a large department.
She stepped away from her role as Chief in 2001, after
serving 17 years, but continued to provide supportive
presentations for new female physicians in the DSA. She
was, and is, a terrific role model, demonstrating how to
balance one’s clinical practice and family life while being
an effective leader. Active in her profession as well as her
practice, she is a District Director for the California Society
of Anesthesiologists. Now that her children are grown, she
combines her passion for travel and her dedication to service
by volunteering with Rotaplast, providing pediatric
anesthesia for cleft palate surgery in the Philippines.
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MICHAEL OVERFIELD, MD
Emergency Medicine
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Overfield has contributed outstanding clinical skills
in critical care, airway management, and ultrasound to
the Emergency Department. He serves as Education
Chair and his energy, enthusiasm and leadership in
continuing education are second to none. He is a
tireless advocate of excellence in patient care, and keeps
everyone abreast of the latest innovations. Recognized
by his peers as the expert in all procedures, he is
often called upon to assist in difficult situations. His
colleagues consider him our Emergency Services MVP.
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KIMBERLY PROBST, MD
Women’s Health
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Probst has boundless energy and always goes
the extra mile for her patients and colleagues.
An exceptional clinician with a special interest in
high-risk obstetrics and minimally invasive surgery,
she takes on the most complicated of obstetrics
cases with ease, and participates in new and
innovative gynecological procedures. Her patients
appreciate her dedication to women’s health,
and consistently give her high marks for her
outstanding care and service.
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ANNE ROGERS, MD
Pulmonary &
Critical Care Medicine
Diablo Service Area
For 25 years as a TPMG physician, Dr. Rogers has pushed
herself and encouraged her colleagues to deliver the very
best quality care possible. With research interests and
consummate clinical skills in rheumatology and intensive
care, she earns high praise from her patients and from
colleagues, who recognized her exemplary dedication to
her patients with what is arguably the most important award
in TPMG, The Career of Caring Award. The award honors
physicians who routinely go the extra mile to help their
patients. She received this award the first year it was given.
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THOMAS ROLLE, MD
Surgery
Diablo Service Area
A general surgeon with a saintly disposition, Dr. Rolle
has provided dedicated care to our members for more
than 25 years, handling the big cases with consummate
skill and discussing each diagnosis with compassion
and concern. As Chief of the Department of Surgery at
Walnut Creek, he is a role model for his colleagues—
the consultant they choose for a difficult case in the
Operating Room in the middle of the night, the doctor
they would want for a parent or child. Calm, cool and
talented, he considers it a privilege to practice medicine
and change people’s lives. His colleagues, in turn, feel
privileged to stand at his side.
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CRAIG SADUR, MD
Endocrinology
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Sadur uses tenacious dedication, unfailing
patient focus and cutting-edge, evidence-based
advice to provide his patients with consistent and
reliable care. With his dry sense of humor, generous
spirit, willingness to help whenever he’s asked, and
diplomatic and patient approach to challenges, he is
a role model for his colleagues. In addition to seeing
Endocrinology patients, he has helped us make strides
in improving care for members with chronic endocrine
conditions. He serves as Co-Chair of the Cholesterol
Guidelines Team for the Northern California Region
of Kaiser Permanente, Cholesterol Champion for the
Diablo Service Area, and Diabetes and Hypertension
Champion at the programs affiliated with the Pleasanton
and Livermore Medical Offices. He formed the Diablo
Endocrine Tumor Board, and serves as an active
Community Ambassador.
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VIRGINIA SAUER, MD
Emergency Medicine
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Sauer has been an outstanding clinical leader in
the Emergency Department, consistently delivering
top level performance in all aspects of patient care.
She has demonstrated exemplary communication skills
that have been recognized by patients, families, peers,
and staff alike. She has served as Peer Reviewer for
her department, and has contributed to the department’s
education with case-based discussions. Dr. Sauer is
always positive, professional, and is truly a pleasure
to work with. She has served as a mentor for many
new female ED physicians in a male-dominated
department, and in the process has become a great
role model for them to follow.
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KAREN SIMPSON, MD
Women’s Health
Diablo Service Area
Known for her expertise, dedication, and compassion,
Dr. Simpson treats her patients as friends and family,
using her quiet sense of humor to put everyone at
ease. Her commitment to excellence and hard work
has gained her the admiration not only of our members
but also of staff at all levels of the organization. Her
surgical expertise combined with her love of teaching
has enabled her to serve as a mentor to both new and
experienced physicians. She takes great satisfaction in
helping women overcome urogynecological problems,
and her patients are grateful for her healing powers.
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TINA SMITH, MD
Plastic Surgery
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Smith is both a compassionate surgeon and an artist
in her specialty. Her work with reconstructive surgery
for cancer patients is enormously successful, not only
because she achieves excellent results but also because
she makes a positive impact on the life of each person
she touches. She has an incredibly optimistic outlook,
which she conveys successfully to her patients at very
vulnerable times of their lives. When she assures her
patients that they will look good again, that they will
get better, her strength of conviction helps them
believe in themselves. She joined TPMG in 1988, as the
first plastic surgeon in the Diablo Service Area. In 1999,
Plastic Surgery became a department and she became
Chief. Outside of the walls of TPMG, she volunteers
with Interplast, an organization which brings plastic
surgery services to patients in developing countries
throughout the world.
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GARWIN SOE, MD
Pediatrics
Diablo Service Area
A pediatrician with special expertise in pediatric
infectious disease, Dr. a is dedicated to caring for
his patients as he would his own family. He readily
advises his colleagues about pediatric infectious
disease and pharmacology, consulting on individual
cases and offering continuing education in these
areas. His colleagues respect his knowledge,
and appreciate his proclivity to punctuate all his
interactions with a smile. In addition to his pediatric
practice, he serves as Chief of the Diablo Service Area
Outpatient Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee and
Chair of the DSA Drug Utilization Committee. Outside
of work, he is an Assistant Scoutmaster and has been
involved for nine years as a coach, a problem captain,
and a Bay Region board member for the Odyssey
of the Mind program, an international educational
program in creative problem-solving.
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RICK WEISSER, MD
Pediatrics
Diablo Service Area
Dr. Weisser is a very hard-working, caring, and devoted
pediatrician, who serves in a leadership role as Chief of
Pediatrics in Pleasanton. He came to TPMG from the
Navy, where he served in many military hospitals,
including Guam, Lemoore, San Diego, and Oakland.
Highly respected for his dedication to his patients and
their families, he receives frequent ‘Above and Beyond’
letters attesting to his genuine concern for, and interest
in, the well-being of the children he serves. A valued
resource for questions about Adolescent Medicine, he
often speaks at community and church functions about
pediatric and teen health issues.
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