About Me

I was born and raised in Hawaii and attended medical school and fellowship training in the Midwest. After working in Washington State for a while, in 1995 my wife and I decided to move back to Hawaii to raise our two sons near family and friends.My father was my greatest role model. He was a civil engineer and helped cultivate my passion for math and the sciences, which eventually led me to medicine. He instilled in me the value of hard work and gave me a sense of responsibility for other people and society.

About my practice

Medicine allows me to combine my love for the sciences with helping other people. As a perpetual learner, I enjoy the challenge of constant inquiry that is a part of my profession. The gastrointestinal tract and liver are fascinating organs. The field of gastroenterology allows me to combine my thinking skills as an internist with the technical skills involved with endoscopic procedures used in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disease processes. I have a particular interest in inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer screening.I love the integrated medical system at Kaiser Permanente, which involves the entire spectrum of primary care physicians, subspecialists and support services. We all work together to promote optimal care for our members in both outpatient and inpatient settings. My philosophy is to provide the best medical care possible and to treat my patients like family while respecting each patient as an individual with his or her own values and beliefs. When I am seeing patients, I do my best to be a good listener first. This allows me to gain their trust before making any recommendations about their care. I enjoy making diagrams and drawing the various organs in my explanations. I always leave time for questions.I am a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.

How I thrive

I enjoy playing the piano for relaxation. For exercise, I run on the treadmill and ride a stationary bike. My wife and I are animal lovers. We have four Golden Retrievers, two Malteses, one African Grey parrot and one Eclectus parrot.