About Me

The youngest of four sons in my family, I was raised in Kaimuki on the island of Oahu. My father was an optometrist who always supported my desire to become a physician. He completed optometry school after World War II on the GI Bill but never had the opportunity to attend college or university. He always valued education as a path to self-improvement.

About my practice

I have always had an interest in science and how the human body works. I liked the hands-on contact with people that clinical medicine entails. It is a privilege to assist people in recovering from illness or, even better, preventing illness as a whole. Because I suffer from allergies and asthma myself, I empathize with my patients and know how those conditions can affect their daily life and decrease their ability to work or play. My specialty allows me to see infants, children, and adults and I find that treating patients of all ages always keeps me stimulated. I love learning from patients, especially when they teach me about what they know from their work or travels. Rather than just treating allergies, I prefer to see the whole person get better and enjoy life. I listen to and respect the patient first, and let them tell their story. In the long run, that will guide me to find the best way to help the patient recover. At the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group (HPMG), I enjoy having the ability to consult fellow physicians in my own and related specialties. It is a privilege to focus on the individual patient in my practice using therapies that are supported by scientific literature and research as a first priority. At HPMG, I serve as chief of the Allergy and Immunology Department and chair of the Asthma Leadership Team for the Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Region. I am certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and the American Board of Internal Medicine. At the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, I am an assistant clinical professor of medicine and I also serve as a teaching faculty member of the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center. I am a Fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and a member of the Hawaii Allergy Society. I have presented at HPMG's Grand Rounds on the topic of drug allergies, and at the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine grand rounds on anaphylaxis. In 2013, I presented on “In Vitro IgE Testing in Pediatrics” for the American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii.

How I thrive

I have taken up swimming and walking and also try to keep a good sense of humor. My daughter sometimes plays cello and I play violin in a string quartet when I can. Reading business news also fascinates me since this touches on so many aspects of daily life.