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Specialty Care

Specialty care the way it should be

You should always expect great care. But when you’re dealing with a serious health issue, you need care that exceeds your expectations. When skill, experience, and passion matter most, we bring our best teams together to help turn your health around.

A 360-degree approach to specialty care

We specialize in treating illness, but we’re also passionate about catching problems before they become serious — and discovering new and better ways to treat them if they do.

Boy with stuffed animal treated by doctor and nurse

The power of Permanente Medicine — physician-led, patient-centered care

On your road to recovery, your doctor is there to lead the way. Kaiser Permanente doctors practice Permanente Medicine — using evidence-based treatment and innovative technology to deliver personalized care with dignity and empathy. And our integrated model means they aren’t burdened by the business of running a practice — so they can focus on what’s best for your health. Our physicians are empowered to make important decisions about your care, but your voice is always the most important one in the room.

Better care, better outcomes,
healthier you

Kaiser Permanente members share their care stories.

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  • watch Video Content about A Life Saved After A Heart Attack And Two Strokes
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    Steve Pietrek has an energetic and lively personality that was sharply curtailed after he experienced a heart attack and two strokes. He began a year-long struggle to return to normal as a result of an abnormal heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation.
  • watch Video Content about
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    Hours after a tumor diagnosis, Sondra Smith safely delivered her daughter and underwent an urgent, successful surgery at Kaiser Permanente. Learn how our connected system helped us save the young mother and her baby.
  • watch Video Content about
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    When Olympic skier Robby Franco injured his knee during training, it could have been serious enough to keep him from going to the Olympics. In just one month, his team of physicians, physical therapists, and athletic trainers worked together to help Robby heal — and make it to the Winter Games.
  • watch Video Content about
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    When Greg Lee’s flu-like symptoms turned out to be a rare side effect of West Nile Virus, he was placed in a medically induced coma for 3 months. Watch his amazing journey to recovery, with help from his skilled team of infectious disease specialists, cardiologists and neurologists — and his fiancée.
  • watch Video Content about
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    Artist Martha Johnson visited her doctor right away when she found a mole she didn’t like. After a diagnosis of melanoma 2 days later, and surgery soon after, Martha received the good news that the cancer had been removed. Beyond their skills and efficiency, Martha credits the kindness and compassion of her Kaiser Permanente oncologist and surgical team for making her experience so seamless.
  • watch Video Content about
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    Karen Hall was hesitant when her latest colon cancer screening indicated she should go in for a colonoscopy. But when her doctor reassured her the procedure wasn’t so bad, and recovery was usually quick, she went ahead with it. After getting the news that there were some polyps, she was very grateful to her doctor for spending the extra time with her to encourage her to do what was best for her health.
  • watch Video Content about
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    Josh and Bekah’s son, Oliver, was born 3 months early at 1 pound, 8.5 ounces. Minutes after meeting their Kaiser Permanente NICU team, they knew they were in good hands. 101 days later, they were ready to take Oliver home.
  • watch Video Content about
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    Lusi Kauvaka is a one-in-a-million mom — a twin herself, she’s also a mom to 2 of her own sets of twins. When Lusi received a diagnosis of cholestasis during her second twin pregnancy, her Kaiser Permanente care team stepped in to ensure mom and babies received the care they needed.
  • watch Video Content about
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    Thor Kamakaala leads an active life. He runs adventure tours for a living and goes kitesurfing and paragliding in his free time. With an injured shoulder, Thor couldn’t do the things he loved. Hear how his Kaiser Permanente care team got him back to his healthy best.
  • watch Video Content about
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    A new cancer diagnosis can seem overwhelming, and the stress can make important treatment decisions even more difficult. Hear how Heidi Hayes’ Kaiser Permanente team of oncologists and caregivers supported her every step of the way – from diagnosis to treatment and remission.
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    Steve Pietrek has an energetic and lively personality that was sharply curtailed after he experienced a heart attack and two strokes. He began a year-long struggle to return to normal as a result of an abnormal heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation.

  • null

    Hours after a tumor diagnosis, Sondra Smith safely delivered her daughter and underwent an urgent, successful surgery at Kaiser Permanente. Learn how our connected system helped us save the young mother and her baby.

  • null


    When Olympic skier Robby Franco injured his knee during training, it could have been serious enough to keep him from going to the Olympics. In just one month, his team of physicians, physical therapists, and athletic trainers worked together to help Robby heal — and make it to the Winter Games.

  • null


    When Greg Lee’s flu-like symptoms turned out to be a rare side effect of West Nile Virus, he was placed in a medically induced coma for 3 months. Watch his amazing journey to recovery, with help from his skilled team of infectious disease specialists, cardiologists and neurologists — and his fiancée.

  • null


    Artist Martha Johnson visited her doctor right away when she found a mole she didn’t like. After a diagnosis of melanoma 2 days later, and surgery soon after, Martha received the good news that the cancer had been removed. Beyond their skills and efficiency, Martha credits the kindness and compassion of her Kaiser Permanente oncologist and surgical team for making her experience so seamless.

  • null


    Karen Hall was hesitant when her latest colon cancer screening indicated she should go in for a colonoscopy. But when her doctor reassured her the procedure wasn’t so bad, and recovery was usually quick, she went ahead with it. After getting the news that there were some polyps, she was very grateful to her doctor for spending the extra time with her to encourage her to do what was best for her health.

  • null


    Josh and Bekah’s son, Oliver, was born 3 months early at 1 pound, 8.5 ounces. Minutes after meeting their Kaiser Permanente NICU team, they knew they were in good hands. 101 days later, they were ready to take Oliver home.

  • null


    Lusi Kauvaka is a one-in-a-million mom — a twin herself, she’s also a mom to 2 of her own sets of twins. When Lusi received a diagnosis of cholestasis during her second twin pregnancy, her Kaiser Permanente care team stepped in to ensure mom and babies received the care they needed.

  • null


    Thor Kamakaala leads an active life. He runs adventure tours for a living and goes kitesurfing and paragliding in his free time. With an injured shoulder, Thor couldn’t do the things he loved. Hear how his Kaiser Permanente care team got him back to his healthy best.

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    A new cancer diagnosis can seem overwhelming, and the stress can make important treatment decisions even more difficult. Hear how Heidi Hayes’ Kaiser Permanente team of oncologists and caregivers supported her every step of the way – from diagnosis to treatment and remission.

Hear more from Kaiser Permanente members talking about their care in their own words.

Learn more about care in your area

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Southern California

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Mid-Atlantic

Oregon/
Washington

Teams of doctors who truly care

These Kaiser Permanente specialists are some of the brightest minds in medicine. More importantly, they’re passionate about delivering excellent care.

  • Evidence-based medicine and providing quality of care have always been at the center of my daily practice. I believe in providing every patient with safe and compassionate care. A patient story is personal and requires an understanding of the individual as a whole. Empowering the patient with knowledge and walking them through their journey with compassion and respect leads to shared-decision making and a healthier and happier patient.

    • Gunjan L. Tykodi, MD
      Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
      Capitol Hill Campus
      Seattle, WA

  • I have been interested in women’s health since I was a teenager and saw the challenges many of my peers faced surrounding teen pregnancies. I decided to pursue a career in health care to help promote the value of positive role models, personal support and acceptance, and access to accurate information, all of which can affect a woman’s health.

    • Linda S. Chong Tim, CNM
      Chief of Midwifery
      Koolau Medical Office
      Kaneohe, HI

  • I chose to pursue medicine a long time ago, likely stemming from my passion for teaching and the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives. Cardiology has been a perfect fit for me, allowing me to focus on preventive strategies and further exposing me to sophisticated diagnostic tests to help people feel better.

    • Andrew N. Kobylivker, MD
      Cardiologist
      Glenlake Medical Center
      Atlanta, GA

  • I love taking care of babies and helping families who have an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit. I have a special interest in the long-term care and follow up of neonatal intensive care unit graduates. My research in fellowship was on language development in preterm infants.

    • Melinda A. Caskey, MD
      Neonatology
      Westside Medical Center
      Hillsboro, OR

  • I chose pediatrics as a specialty because I get to interact with kids all day — what could be better than that? I feel very fortunate to be here at Kaiser Permanente because I can practice prevention-focused, patient-centered care, while also conducting relevant research.

    • Matthew Daley, MD
      Pediatrics
      Skyline Medical Offices
      Denver, CO

  • I truly believe it is a privilege to practice medicine, and it is an honor to be part of my patients’ lives. I strive to treat each of my patients as I would treat my own family and friends. I absolutely love what I do, and I know this is my path in life — and my way of doing good in this world.

    • Diana R. Shiba, MD
      Comprehensive Ophthalmology
      Los Angeles Medical Center
      Los Angeles, CA

  • My philosophy of care is that the best way to take care of a patient is to care about the patient, which is why I joined the Kaiser Permanente family.

    • Patrick Pezeshkian, MD
      Neurosurgery
      Redwood City Medical Center
      Redwood City, CA

  • I enjoy working with the families, alleviating some of their fears and putting them at ease.

    • Dakara Wright, MD
      Pediatric Dermatology
      South Baltimore County Medical Center
      Halethorpe, MD

Kaiser Permanente specialty care highlights

We’re one of the nation’s largest multispecialty medical groups — with specialists in oncology, cardiac care, perinatology, and much more — all working together in one connected system. This coordinated team approach enables our care teams to think and work as one — to deliver better care and achieve healthier outcomes for our members.

  • Newborn in neonatal intensive care unit

    Cancer care

    Our approach to cancer care starts with industry-leading screening rates2 — and includes access to innovative clinical trials and talented oncology teams.

    Learn more

  • Doctor speaking with patient in office

    Cardiac care

    How do you get to the forefront of reducing heart disease and stroke? With proactive screenings and innovative treatment techniques — and a lot of heart.

    Learn more

  • Newborn in neonatal intensive care unit

    Neonatal intensive care

    When newborns need specialized care, every minute counts. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is where we take care of babies who need extra support.

    Learn more

1In 2017, Kaiser Permanente led the nation as the top performer in 25 HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) effectiveness-of-care measures — the most of any health plan. Kaiser Permanente 2017 HEDIS® scores. Benchmarks provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Quality Compass® and represent all lines of business. Kaiser Permanente combined region scores were provided by the Kaiser Permanente Department of Care and Service Quality. The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass 2017 and is used with the permission of NCQA. Quality Compass 2017 includes certain CAHPS® data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass® and HEDIS® are registered trademarks of NCQA. CAHPS® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

2Kaiser Permanente was the top performer in the nation for breast cancer and colon cancer screenings in 2017. Kaiser Permanente 2017 HEDIS® scores. Benchmarks provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Quality Compass® and represent all lines of business. Kaiser Permanente combined region scores were provided by the Kaiser Permanente Department of Care and Service Quality. The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass 2017 and is used with the permission of NCQA. Quality Compass 2017 includes certain CAHPS® data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass® and HEDIS® are registered trademarks of NCQA. CAHPS® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.