About Me

Hello. I’m Dr. Balbuena, a primary care physician with Kaiser Permanente’s Lancaster Medical Offices. I love primary care because it allows me to actively practice preventive medicine as well as play a part in treating the whole patient as opposed to one specific body system. While I began my career as an ob-gyn, delivering more than 200 babies during my residency, I discovered that family practice is where I am able to have a positive impact on many members’ lives on a regular basis.

Biography

I come from a family of physicians. My dad was a family doctor, while my mom was an anesthesiologist. I learned a lot about being a physician by going to my dad’s office after school. I appreciated how he loved being a physician and was well-respected in the community. Before going to medical school, I was a high school teacher, so if I seem to lecture on occasion, you’ll understand where that originates. Helping to educate my patients is an important part of my profession. I want to encourage them to make good choices. I graduated from Finch University of Health Sciences at the Chicago Medical School. My internship was at Cedars-Sinai, and my residency was at California Hospital Medical Center. Coming to Kaiser Permanente in 2012 was a good decision for me. Before that, I practiced with a small medical group in Pasadena I find that Kaiser Permanente gives me the support I need. They take care of the paperwork and other business aspects of running an office, which allows me to focus on medicine. I love working here.

About my practice

I welcome my patients to be open and frank with me. By listening carefully to their issues and concerns, I try to develop a good rapport with them and endeavor to provide sound advice on how best to manage their health. Encouraging people to take responsibility and control of their own well-being is a big concern of mine. By putting my patients in full control of their own well-being, my role becomes one of a coach and mentor to help them learn to stay active and healthy.

How I thrive

As the father of two boys, my family keeps me active. I love to run, swim, and play tennis. While my tennis game may not be as strong as it was when I was in college, I keep working at it. I’ve also competed in a few half marathons. I hope to run a full marathon someday. I’m an avid sports fan and love going to all sporting events. I also love to learn new songs on the piano when I get a chance.