Richard Gnanaraj Rajaratnam, MD
I speak: English
My gender: Male
Where I practice
- Emergency service
- Urgent care services
- After-hours services
- Pharmacy services
- No emergency services
- No urgent care services
- No after-hours services
- No pharmacy services
About me
I am pleased to share with you some information about myself and my practice; I hope it will help you get to know me a little better. I am proud to be a member of such an outstanding department and medical group here at Kaiser Permanente, and I take pride in providing you with the highest quality of care and service. I also hope that you find this website to be a great tool in helping us partner together to keep you healthy. Thank you for visiting my Web page-and always be well!
Biography
I was born in Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, an island in the southern tip of India. After graduating from the University of Ceylon, Colombo, Medical School in 1972, I did some of my post-graduate training in St. Bartholomew's Hospital Surgical Professorial Unit and became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons England (FRCS). My move to the United States resulted in me completing my training in head and neck surgery at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 1985. I joined Kaiser Permanente in 1985 as a head and neck surgeon. Since 2004, I have been the area medical director for the Riverside service area. I am board-certified in head & neck surgery and quality management. My interests include international travel, Antiquarian book collection, Kaiser Permanente memorabilia, and Judaica. I also enjoy the Bible and being a United Methodist very much. My wife and I live in Southern California. We have two children, a daughter and a son, both of whom I am proud to say are medical students.
About my practice
Being a head and neck surgeon fundamentally, I enjoy the interaction with my patients and play a small part in helping them to address their health needs. I strongly believe that prevention is better than cure, and I always include that philosophy in every encounter I have with my patients. It is all about health and not about disease. One satisfying professional aspect for me is to take on certain difficult common medical problems in head and neck surgery (as an example, patients who present with "burning mouth and tongue"). I enjoy diagnosing and treating their discomfort. The condition of recurrent ulcers in the mouth provides a challenge to many, and I enjoy trying to help these patients.
How I thrive
I endeavor to keep my mind, body, and spirit in harmony. I enjoy physical exercise such as running, power walking, and cycling. At the same time, I maintain a healthy diet on a daily basis. One of the components I find very useful is the concept of 20-minute "power naps" during an active work day. This really helps me to feel great!
My office
Languages spoken by medical staff
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My provider type
Physicians and SurgeonsMedical groups, plans, and locations
Southern California Permanente Medical Group
- Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO)
- HMO
- Medi-Cal Managed Care
- Point-of-Service Plan (POS)
- Senior Advantage
Contact information
- Advice/appointments
- 1-833-574-2273 (toll free)
- Information
- 951-353-3005 (TTY for the hearing/speech impaired)
- Information from Moreno Valley
- 951-247-3183
- Medical Center Operator
- 1-833-574-2273 (toll free)
My training, certifications and licensing
Medical school
University of Colombo Faculty of MedicineBoard certification
Otolaryngology
American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck SurMedical training
Internship
Rotating
University of Colombo Faculty of MedicineResidency
Otolaryngology
Loma Linda University Medical CenterResidency
General Surgery
St. Agnes HealthCareResidency
General Surgery
St. Bartholomew's HospitalResidency
General Surgery
University of Colombo Faculty of MedicineJoined Permanente Medical Group
1985Active license information
License number
A39889License type
Physician and SurgeonLicense issuing state
CALIFORNIANational Provider Identifier (NPI)
1679640403Cultural Competency Training (CCT)
CompletedMy hospitals
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This page was last updated on: 12/10/2024