Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs: The Doctor is Out -- to Serve You!

Most professionals have worked inside a box for so long. By that, we mean it has taken so long for people to take the ways of the innovative world to benefit majority of people, especially in the medical profession. But doctors have learned to come out of their traditional comfort-zones in order to expand their horizon and serve more people in a more dynamic and effective way. Meet one of those physicians who is out there to serve your needs: Dr. Richard Isaacs.

Dr. Isaacs’ qualifications, as posted in his web homepage, were not meant to impress but to inform and convince people of what he is capable of providing. Rich is not only a specialist in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery but is also an experienced physician who has dealt with various cancer cases (facial skin cancer, jaw tumor. laryngeal cancer, paranasal sinus cancer and thyroid cancer and others). He has also worked in developing innovative medical procedures using robotics and computer-aided medical systems.

With his extensive experience and expertise, it is not surprising that Rich, who attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as an undergraduate, excelled in academics and garnered honors a graduate. He was born and raised in Detroit and finished his medical degree at the Wayne State University School of Medicine there, also finishing with honors.

Dr. Isaacs joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and he holds Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. His specializes in such cases as orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgical procedures. Moreover, Rich has undergone training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and is likewise an expert in post-tumor facial reanimation and facial reconstruction surgery. Rich is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as well as of the American College of Surgeons. He has written several articles in different medical and other related publications.

In his heart, Rich is a natural teacher and is engaged in training medical students, residents and fellows from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia), and Northstate University School of Medicine (Elk Grove) where he serves as a Professor of Otolaryngology. With his passion for teaching, Rich obviously finds personal satisfaction in achieving one of the noblest occupations any person can have in life. Expertise and knowhow thrive through continuing study and research, as well as through bequeathing them on to others who will likewise apply and pass them on through their own practice.

Being a Physician-In-Chief, Rich has shown good leadership abilities as well as proven his integrity as a trustworthy professional. In April of 2005, he was appointed to the Physician-In-Chief position for the South Sacramento and Elk Grove Medical Facilities. He heads 450 physicians and over 3,000 nurses and staff who serve 210,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento and Elk Grove locality. Rich also works as the Medical Director of operations, as well as all inpatient and outpatient sections. He likewise holds the position of Chief Medical Officer for the 290-bed Acute Care Hospital and ACS Level II Trauma Center.

Physicians are some of the most workaholic workers we know; however, they strive to spend meaningful time in other endeavors, such as in sports. And for a doctor with his credentials, Rich chose to become a skier and an Alpine Member at the National Ski Patrol, providing complete care to injured skiers at the Tahoe Donner Ski Resort. Not only is that inspiring; it is quite commendable – spending time out of the clinic and in the great outdoors while seeing to the medical needs of other sports-enthusiasts.

Here then is a physician you would want and who is totally prepared to meet your needs: Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs – now out there to catch you when you fall and falter.

A Man with a Lifetime Medical Mission: Dr. Richard Isaacs, MD

In general, medicine is recognized as a very broad area of study and involves so many various fields of health-care as well as different approaches and applications, whether we are talking of traditional, alternative and even emotional-healing practices. Most people, however, rely on the general field of medical practice accepted by countries and societies as the scientific and professional field of health-care practiced by graduates of Schools of Medicine and are referred to as Doctors of Medicine (MD’s).

Today, the willingness or passion to provide people with physical healing is not fully applied or recognized without leaving the comfort of one’s world and into the greater arena of the vast majority of people who need healing and proper medical care. The worldwide web has significantly eased the problem of how to make health care readily accessible to others. And, obviously in medicine or the medical profession, as it is often referred to by those tasked with providing health care to the ailing patient, the patient must not only seek the doctor; the doctor must also make himself or herself available and accessible as much as possible.

The physician or MD, in general, needs to be fully equipped and qualified to offer basic health care using methods accepted by most public health-providers in accordance with modern professional health-care methods. However, we all know that even old traditional healing approaches, which have been proven by modern research to be effective and are administered by more and more doctors along with modern medical practices, for instance, acupuncture, chelation and others. Which means that we have advanced in such a way that we have greatly enhanced the human power to serve the health needs of many people who require effective medical attention. Likewise, those who are given the function of administering such highly-specialized expertise must have a source of surplus amounts of diligence, persistence and altruism not easily available to majority of people.

A primary model of this innovative professional medical practitioner is Dr. Richard Isaacs, MD, who has availed of the Internet to widely post his qualifications and his specialization to more people needing his particular field of practice. This direct way of promoting one’s profession to the greater community online may seem a bit unusual and even suspicious to many. Yes, it may even seem to demean the respected position the medical doctor whom many view as being more altruistic or unselfish than other professions.

However, that may have been true in former times when doctors plied their trade as mainly unrecognized or unappreciated employees of medical institutions or small-time family doctors running day clinics in distant towns. At present, however, doctors organize and put up poly-clinics offering alternatives to hospitals as diagnostic and medical-consultancy centers in many urban areas. Yes, gone are the days when doctors hang up front-door signs and worked as free-lance-private doctors for a small regular clientele within a neighborhood or a residential subdivision.

The increase in the number of doctors and medical-health practitioners has also altered the way medical services are administered or practiced, especially with the advent of increased medical specialization and use of advanced medical technology. Hence, a physician in some cases is not required to physically visit a patient in order to serve his or her needs which may not include surgery or delicate attention by a physician and which a nurse or a training physician can readily handle. And even in more serious cases where the physician is not available as long as there are other skilled health-givers who can take the place of the doctor without endangering the patient unduly. It is, in fact, not uncommon now for a patient to be in a hospital for a day or two without having seen a specialist, who may be unavailable, while providing the needed proper medical attention through other available doctors. The way medicine is practiced nowadays has evolved with the times and the demands of modern world, whether we understand it or not.

As such, having a doctor such as Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs post his qualifications and experiences online provides a refreshing view of the medical profession not only in its application but likewise in its accessibility to people who require it. Thanks to people such as Dr. Isaacs for opening an innovative alternative to looking for medical help minus the trouble of walking or asking around for the proper medical attention needed so direly. And often, in matters of life and death, time is of the essence.

Rich is trained in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and has wide experience in post-tumor facial reconstruction and facial reanimation surgery and has an Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery, specializing in orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

To get an appointment with Rich Isaacs, get his contact info on this website and dial away. Didn’t we say he is available and accessible? Yes, he is within reach to anyone needing his specialization in Sacramento, California where he resides and works.

Dr. Richard Isaacs, MD: The Willingness to Serve

In the modern world, the desire or the willingness to help others solve their problems is not complete without coming out of the confines of one’s comfortable world into the broader community of people struggling through life, in need or in pain.The Internet has helped to bring this eagerness to reach out to others to its fulfillment -- especially in the field of medicine or medical practice, as it should be more properly called by those who are charged with administering health care to the ailing patient.

Medical practice is obviously a wide subject and incorporates so many different aspects of health-care and variations of methods or approaches, from traditional, alternative and even emotional in nature. The majority of people, however, depend on the general field of medical practice recognized by most societies and governments as the scientific and professional field of health-care provided by products of Schools of Medicine and are referred to as Doctors of Medicine (MD’s).

The more common term “physician” has also become synonymous with MD. To be a physician, in general, is to be qualified to provide essential health care using methods recognized by most public institutions as in keeping with accepted modern medical practices. This does not mean, of course, that ancient practices which have proven to be effective are without value in the modern medical profession. It only means that we have progressed to the level of fine-tuning the human capability to provide health care and to alleviate the sufferings of millions of sick people. And the people tasked with providing such highly-specialized skills also possess higher amounts of persistence, diligence and self-sacrifice than most people.

Dr. Richard Isaacs, MD, is a prime example of the qualified modern physician who has made good use of the worldwide web to present his credentials and his services to those who require medical care or assistance. A lot of people might either be surprised or turned off by such a direct approach to promoting one’s profession to the greater virtual community out there. That is because it might come out as somewhat demeaning to the noble profession of the physician which many consider to be more altruistic or service-oriented than most other vocations.

But that was common in the older times when medical practitioners worked silently in the bigger institutions, hospitals or hole-in-the-wall clinics they worked in. Today, doctors form so-called poly-clinics to provide a para-hospital alternative facilities for providing diagnostic and consultancy services. Most doctors, in the past, made do with putting up a sign on their home front-door as simple private general practitioners with a handful of devoted patients in their immediate neighborhood or locality.

However, today, the number of physicians and medical-help providers has multiplied and the means of providing such services have become more dynamic and diverse with the aid of technology. A doctor does not need to be with the patient to provide care, especially with common ailments. Or even in more serious cases where the doctor cannot be present and as long as there are other qualified professionals who can administer the prescription in an acceptable manner. Hence, it is not uncommon for a patient to be in a hospital for a couple of days, for instance, without having been visited by a medical specialist who may be preoccupied somewhere else although she does gets proper medical care under resident doctors. Times change and the way doctors apply their skills has also evolved with the times and the needs of the growing population.

And so, seeing a doctor such as Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs open up his resume on a website not only changes the field of medicine in its application but also in its accessibility to those who need its benefits. For this, we have to thank the likes of him for providing a convenient way of seeking medical help without the hassle of directly interviewing or hunting for qualified medical practitioners wherever they may be found.

Just a call away, Rich Isaacs, who holds an Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery, specializes in orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Moreover, he is trained in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and has an interest in post-tumor facial reconstruction and facial reanimation surgery. Rich is within reach to anyone needing his field of specialization in Sacramento, California where he holds his clinic.

Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs: At your service!

Dr. Isaacs’ credentials, as seen in his web homepage, are not just impressive but awesome in many respects. For one, he not only has a specialization in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery but also has wide grasp and experience in other medical fields, such as cancer (facial skin cancer, jaw tumor, laryngeal cancer, paranasal sinus cancer and thyroid cancer, to name a few) and has been involved in innovative medical care utilizing robotics and computer technology.

Such vast experience and expertise possessed by one physician should not come as a surprise from one who attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as an undergraduate and finished with honors. Rich, for short, was born and raised in Detroit and took up his medical studies at Wayne State University School of Medicine in that city, graduating, as we would have expected, with honors. 

Rich joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and he has Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. His specialties include orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Additionally, Rich is trained in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and is also highly involved in post-tumor facial reanimation and facial reconstruction surgery. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as well as of the American College of Surgeons. Rich has also published many articles in various publications.

Rich has a passion for teaching and has trained medical students, residents and fellows from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia), and Northstate University School of Medicine (Elk Grove) where he teaches as a Professor of Otolaryngology. Serving as a teacher-doctor could be considered one of the highest accomplishments any professional or any person can have, for that matter. Skills and knowledge can grow not just through study and research but through passing them on to more people who can practice them as well as improve them for more people to benefit from.

As a Physician-In-Chief, Rich has proven his himself to be a good leader as well as a trusted practitioner. In April of 2005, He was appointed to the Physician-In-Chief position for the South Sacramento and Elk Grove Medical Facilities. He supervises 450 physicians and more than 3,000 nurses and staff who care for the 210,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento and Elk Grove areas. Rich also serves as the Medical Director of operations, including all inpatient and outpatient departments. He also works as the Chief Medical Officer for the 290 bed Acute Care Hospital and ACS Level II Trauma Center.

Does Rich still have time to do something else? 

We all know doctors are quite busy people but they do find time to enjoy life. Hence, as impressive as Rich’s credentials may appear, he does find time to be an active sportsman, being an Alpine Member at the National Ski Patrol. And while he is at that, he likewise provides comprehensive care to injured skiers at the Tahoe Donner Ski Resort. Now, that is impressive as well as admirable – having a great, exhilarating time and serving fellow sports-enthusiasts when they need medical care.

What can we say but present to you Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs – at your service! He must enjoy what he is doing.

Kaiser promotes healthy babies with Dr. Richard Isaacs

Kaiser pushes for greater breast-feeding success among moms

The healthiest thing any child will ever consume is his or her mother’s breast milk. Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento wants to make certain new mothers learn how to breastfeed their babies before they leave the hospital to increase the future good health for babies.

Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento was recently designated a “Baby Friendly” hospital in accordance with the World Health Organization’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

The staff had a small celebration on Aug. 14.

Max Villalobos, senior vice president for Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento said, “This is an international recognition.”

He said a special thanks to Barb Hansen, assistant manager of health education, and Cheryl Cox, manager of the perinatal services unit.

“Sometimes we overuse words, but this is prestigious,” he said.

Currently, Kaiser South Sacramento is one of 83 hospitals nationwide to fulfill the program’s 10-step process to become baby friendly.

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was launched in 1991 with help from UNICEF. Kaiser staff received a certificate of intent to work towards being admitted to the Baby Friendly program in 1993.

Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Richard S. Isaacs thanked the staff for their commitment. Isaacs, an ear, nose and throat doctor, said he learned that breast-feeding a baby causes fewer ear infections as they grow.

“It gives the child the best start,” he said. “It gives them natural immunity, it helps prevent infection, and it gives them tremendous nutrition. But more importantly it’s an emotional bond between the mother and the child.”

Debra Payne, program planner for First 5 Sacramento was at the Aug. 14 ceremony to congratulate the staff. First 5 Sacramento was involved with this program at Kaiser too.

Joni Wuthrich, director of prenatal services, said the staff have undergone training courses, learning the importance of encouraging breast-feeding over formula and allowing new mothers to “room in,” or stay with their baby the entire hour after delivery to breastfeed.

“I’ve been a nurse for 34 years and every single year more research comes out about how good breast-feeding is for babies,” she said.

Dessiree Whitehurst gave birth to her first child, a girl, on Aug. 13 at Kaiser in South Sacramento. The fact that Kaiser South Sacramento is in the Baby Friendly program and promotes breast-feeding amongst new mothers was reassuring to her as a new mom, she said.

“I’ve heard so many things like ‘It’s hard to breastfeed,’” she said. “Knowing that there is so much help- it’s really good for me.”

Whitehurst had already started breast-feeding her baby by the next day.

As part of the Baby Friendly Initiative, Kaiser will not accept free formula from vendors.

“We separated our relationship with formula vendors and that is a part of baby friendly too,” Wuthrich said.

Formula is prescribed when it is medically recommended for babies, rather than being a substitute for milk.

Wuthrich said baby formula is healthy, but human milk is better.

Not all women have to breast-feed, they support family choice too, she added.

CAPMG Steering Committee - Dr. Richard Isaacs, MD

As California Permanente physicians, we have a lot to be proud of.

Our physician-led mode of practice. Our partnership with patients. Our proven clinical excellence and nationally recognized quality leadership.

When health care legislation is debated, we want the best chance of a good outcome.

That is why The Permanente Medical Group and the Southern California Permanente Medical Group created California Permanente Medical Groups (CAPMG) political action committee.

CAPMG is our political arm. Our job is to help elect lawmakers who understand and share our values.

On behalf of CAPMG Steering Committee — This is our pledge.

• No one will work harder than we will.

• Our priority will always be the Permanente Medical Group model.

• We will devote our full energy to electing officials who will work with us on enacting the best possible health care legislation.

Like you, we are passionate about our goals and optimistic about our success.

STEERING COMMITTEE:

Members

• Sharon Levine, MD, Chair, Pediatrics, TPMG

• Michelle Caughey, MD, Internal Medicine, TPMG

• Ken Grullon, MD, Gynecology, TPMG

• Vito Imbasciani, MD, Urology, SCPMG

• David Lerman, MD, JD. Family Medicine, SCPMG

• Michael Neri, Jr. MD, Family Medicine, SCPMG

• Richard Isaacs, MD, Head and Neck Oncology, TPMG

For more info about Dr. Richard Isaacs, you could visit this page or like us on facebook for more update.

Staff

• Traci Perry, Executive Director

• Liz Rothberg-Smith, CAPMG Staff

Business Journal names "Healthiest Employers" winners

Attendees at the Healthiest Employers 2011 awards luncheon walk around the exhibitors area before the awards.

Five Sacramento-area companies won top honors at a luncheon Friday for theie employee health and wellness efforts. Rood & Dax Advanced Insurance Services Inc. of Sacramento won in the micro category (10 – 50 employees).

Dr. Richards Isaacs accepts a Healtiest Employers award on behalf of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Kaiser won in the mega category (10, 000-plus employees). The health care nonprofit, which has made healthy living a central message in its advertising years, has had a wellness program since 2002.

Richard Isaacs MD: Kaiser South gets Level II trauma certification

Kaiser Permanente’s South Sacramento Medical Center has been verified by the American College of Surgeons as a Level II trauma center.

The center got provisional verification by the group last year so it could begin operations, but the process requires reviewers to evaluate the program after it is up and running.

Reviewers conducted another on-site review in March to evaluate trauma center staff, equipment and other resources to make sure they meet national standards. Full verification will be in effect until 2013.

Since opening Aug. 1, the new South Sacramento trauma center has treated an average of 150 patients per month.

“We are extremely proud that the American College of Surgeons has verified that our program meets their stringent standards,” Dr. Richard Isaacs, physician-in-chief at Kaiser Permanente South

Sacramento, said in a press release. “We have an excellent staff here and we are committed to caring for some of the area’s most critically injured patients.”

The South Sacramento hospital serves an area from Interstate 5 east to Rancho Cordova, and from Florin Road south to the San Joaquin County line.

The trauma center is a first for Kaiser Permanente nationwide.

Richard Isaacs MD - Kaiser Permanente: Company wants employees to serve as role models in community

Carman stopped exercising after leaving the military in 1991, and the pounds began piling on. But after his father died at age 54, and at the urging of his daughter, a nursing student, Carman decided in 2012 to start making a change.

He credits Kaiser’s Live Well, Be Well program for his improved fitness. Carman dropped 40 pounds since starting the program and trimmed 6 inches from his waist. And in September, he was able to stop taking the blood pressure medication he’d been on for 10 years.

Carman ran in the December marathon as part of a four-member relay team with his daughter and friends. His goal is to run half the marathon this year, and the entire course in 2015. He’s also working on losing another 20 pounds.

The constant encouragement Carman receives through Kaiser has helped him overcome his biggest obstacle: sticking with his exercise program consistently. “I’m just very grateful for everything my employer does,” Carman said.

While many employers encourage a healthy workforce, Kaiser, which employs 66,000 in its Northern California region, including 12,000 in the Sacramento area, has an additional motivation as a health-care provider.

“We want all of our staff and physicians to be role models for our community,” said Dr. Richard Isaacs, physician-in-chief of Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center.

Kaiser’s program offers more than 250 wellness options that focus on six categories: physical activity, healthy eating, emotional health, prevention, healthy workplace and healthy community.

Issacs, a head and neck surgeon, said the program has caused a cultural transformation at the company, reducing absenteeism and making employees happier and more engaged.

“I’m watching our employees actually transform their lives,” Isaacs said. “They look different. They just exude health.”

Employees encourage colleagues to get involved, take lunch-time walks or train for competitions. There are free exercise classes, with yoga, Zumba and boot camp among the popular options.

Employees can track their health improvements online and enroll in a wellness university, where they earn credits and even graduate.

To encourage healthy eating, there are on-site farmers markets and employee gardens at Kaiser’s South Sacramento Medical Center, as well as at offices in Davis and Rancho Cordova. There, workers grow vegetables and chefs demonstrate healthy cooking techniques.

The program’s emotional health component encourages employees to pursue creative outlets. Toward that end, the South Sacramento Medical Center held its third annual art show March 28, where physicians and employees displayed paintings, photographs, sculptures, quilts, beadwork and floral arrangements.

Dr. Richard Isaacs: Kaiser’s summer internship program

Kaiser’s summer internship program gives high school students a chance to see if medical field is right for them

Valley High School senior Faith Allison thought she was interested in cardiology when she started a paid internship at Kaiser Permanente’s South Sacramento Medical Center this summer, but she liked the variety she saw in trauma.

Luther Burbank graduate Melany Caldera figured “you can’t go wrong with health care,” but she got dizzy every time she saw blood. Human resources, she likes.

The idea behind the Kaiser internship program is to give underrepresented and low-income students a close-up view of the career promise of health care before they make a career choice. A comprehensive program that focuses on careers in demand, it can also serve as a pipeline for future Kaiser employees.

“It’s really important for people who have an interest to see their destination before they begin their journey,” said Dr. Richard Isaacs, physician-in-chief at Kaiser’s South Sacramento hospital. “Our hope is they will go back to their own community with a better idea of what they can and want to do.”

The Summer Youth Employment Program is one of the community benefits Kaiser offers in exchange for tax-exempt status. There are 215 participants in Northern California this summer, about 30 in the Sacramento area.

Eleven high-achieving students were selected from 150 applicants for internships at Kaiser South Sacramento.

The full-time program runs for eight weeks. Students do workshops, projects and rotations in departments, meet weekly to share information — and get paid $8 an hour at a time when many high school students have trouble getting a job.

Other local health systems offer internship programs for high school students, too. But most are unpaid.

“Any organized professional experience we can expose young people to — and high school seems to be the focus now — can pique interest in and provide direction for college and medical school,” said Scott Seamons, regional vice president of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California.

A lot of exposure’

Karima Ziyarmal, now 23, was a 2006 summer intern at Kaiser’s South Sacramento hospital.

Richard Isaacs MD: Big Pharma has the upper hand 'and they know it'

There has been an alarming upward trend in the costs of similar treatments, as more drugs are developed and come on to the market, new Pharmac figures  show.

And as  the price of life-saving medicines soar and pharmaceutical companies show no signs of justifying their costs, the Government is warning that something has got to give. 

Pharmac, the Government's drug buying agency,  began funding a key blood cancer drug Thalidomide, manufactured by drug giant Celgene, in 2002. While the true costs of what Pharmac pays are confidential, the list price for the drug in 2002 was $360, based on a daily average dose for a month.

Compare that with a later iteration of the same drug - Lenalidomide - which in 2014 carried a list price of $8353. A third option for blood cancer patients, whose condition might not respond so well to the first two, was Bortezomib, which had a list price of $9742.

The benefits of treating cancer with any of the drugs were similar, and limited studies comparing Lenalidomide and Thalidomide showed no survival difference.

When it came to differing forms of chemotherapy for breast cancer, list prices had risen 443 per cent.

Anthracycline, a common chemotherapy, was listed at $975 in 2002. As two more options came onto the market - Docetaxel, also in 2002, and Trastuzumab, in 2007 - list prices rose to $2488 and $5300 respectively.

A similar trend was also shown across medicines for the treatment of kidney cancer, and lung cancer, rising 411 and 44 per cent respectively.

While all those costs related to the list-price of the medicines, chief executive Steffan Crauzas said Pharmac did not pay that much.

How much less Pharmac paid was confidential, but the increase in the list-price showed an alarming trend that the overall cost of providing New Zealanders access to medicines was becoming more difficult.

Costs were symptomatic of a price-war raging overseas, where the medicines market was not so tightly controlled by a public purchaser.

According to the World Health Organisation, medicines  accounted for over half of total health expenditures and were often "unavailable and unaffordable to consumers who need them".

It recommended making some essential medicines exempt from taxation.

Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition chair Libby Burgess, who led a campaign for the public funding of breast cancer drug Herceptin, said the problem was the Pharmac model.

She cited Australia, where two separate bodies took care of funding decisions and then purchase of the medicines respectively.

                                                    

"All of that happens under one roof in Pharmac, which means its very easy for one part of the process to compromise another."

MidCentral DHB Oncologist Dr Richard Isaacs said the prices big pharma was charging was "gobsmacking".

"There's been a lot of criticism of Pharmac over the years, and I was involved in advocating for Herceptin, but I strongly believe now there needs to be a strong focus on the costs that pharma are charging when they introduce new targeted therapies into the market.

"We certainly can't afford all of them and I think our process of carefully assessing the drugs is a good one."

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said Pharmaceutical companies needed to justify their costs more.

"I think that there's a real question about how everything starts with several zeros behind it, and think that is a question mark... but it may not solve the issue as far as access to medicines in New Zealand is concerned."

Instead, it was Pharmac that would likely undergo changes in the next 10 to 15 years. Those changes were unlikely to be the kind Burgess was after, however.

"Pharmac are remarkably skillfull... and they are able to put these packages together, which are impressive. But the issue I thought they would have done a little more on, is actually evaluating their decisions; was there a benefit from funding Herceptin, for instance?

"We can be confident in the model at the moment, and in the forseeable future. But that's not going to [last forever]." Dunne said.

"[Drug companies] have got the upper hand, and they know it. At the end of the day, no government is going to deny its citizens access to medicines."

Medical Profile: Richard Isaacs, MD

Otolaryngology (ENT) Sacramento, CA
Physician-in-Chief / Director, The Permanente Medical Group, Board of Directors, Oakland, CA


SUMMARY

Professional Background
“I joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and have Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. My specialties include: orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgery. I function as a regional resource for the management of advanced tumors of the head and neck and provide the otolaryngologic approach for tumors at the skull base. Additionally, I am trained in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and perform rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, otoplasty, and rhytidectomy. I have an interest in post-tumor facial reconstruction and facial reanimation surgery. I am a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

I received my Bachelor of Science degree, with Distinction, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and my Doctor of Medicine degree, with Honors, from Wayne State University in Detroit. Then, I completed my Otolaryngology training in New York at the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital / New York Hospital-Cornell Medical College. Subsequently, I received additional Head and Neck Oncologic and Skull Base Surgical training from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and The University of California, Davis. I am also a 2004 graduate of the Kenan-Flagler School of Business Advanced Leadership Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and the University of California, San Francisco, CHCF Advanced Leadership Program. “


Roles
“In April of 2005, I was appointed to the Physician-In-Chief and Chief-of-Staff positions for the South Sacramento and Elk Grove Medical Facilities. I am very fortunate to be able to continue my head and neck surgical practice and I greatly enjoy my administrative position as well. I provide leadership to our 450 physicians/providers and more than 2000 nurses and staff who care for the 200,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento/Elk Grove area.”


CLINICAL SPECIALTIES & INTERESTS

Otolaryngology (ENT): General Otolaryngology/ENT, Head & Neck Microvascular Surgery, Head & Neck Oncologic Surgery


EDUCATION & TRAINING
* University of California Davis
* Cornell University Medical College
* Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
* St Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center
* Wayne State University School of Medicine


CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSURE
* CA State Medical License
1992 – 2016

* American Board of Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology


AWARDS, HONORS, & RECOGNITION
* Fellow (FAAO-HNS)
American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
* Presidents Award for Scientific Exhibit: "Skull Base Surgical Approaches to Distal Carotid Aneurisms."
American Academy of Otolaryngology
* Top MD
Consumers Checkbook


PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

PUBMED
* Anatomy and physiology of the upper airway.
Isaacs, R.S., Sykes, J.M.; Anesthesiol Clin North America. 2002 Dec.


PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

* American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - AAO - NHS
Fellow
* American College of Surgeons - ACS
Member



HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS
* Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center
Sacramento, CA

Richard Isaacs MD - Certified Otolaryngology

Richard S. Isaacs, MD is a otolaryngology in Sacramento , CA.

Phone number: (916) 688-2000

Profile

Specialties:   Otolaryngology (License# G75756 CA )

Gender:         Male

Locations

6600 Bruceville Rd

Sacramento , CA 95823

Phone:           (916) 688-2000

Facilities

Kaiser Health Plan Pediatric Phy

6600 Bruceville Road

Sacamento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser Foundation Hospital South Sacramento

6600 Bruceville Road

Sacamento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser Health Plan #1 New Pharmacy #601

6600 Bruceville Road

Sacamento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser Fdn Hsp Inp Phy 60a

6600 Bruceville Road

Sacamento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

The Permanente Medical Group, Inc.

6600 Bruceville Road

Sacamento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser Permanente

6600 Bruceville Road

Sacamento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento

1225 F St Apt C

Sacramento , CA 95814

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy #607

6600 Bruceville Rd Bldg 2, Fl 1, Rm M2041

Sacramento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Kaiser 2 Refill Wc Pharmacy 602

6600 Bruceville Rd

Sacramento , CA 95823

Phone            (916) 688-2000

Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs: At your service!

Dr. Isaacs’ credentials, as seen in his web homepage, are not just impressive but awesome in many respects. For one, he not only has a specialization in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery but also has wide grasp and experience in other medical fields, such as cancer (facial skin cancer, jaw tumor, laryngeal cancer, paranasal sinus cancer and thyroid cancer, to name a few) and has been involved in innovative medical care utilizing robotics and computer technology.

Such vast experience and expertise possessed by one physician should not come as a surprise from one who attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as an undergraduate and finished with honors. Rich, for short, was born and raised in Detroit and took up his medical studies at Wayne State University School of Medicine in that city, graduating, as we would have expected, with honors.

Rich joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and he has Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. His specialties include orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Additionally, Rich is trained in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and is also highly involved in post-tumor facial reanimation and facial reconstruction surgery. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as well as of the American College of Surgeons. Rich has also published many articles in various publications.

Rich has a passion for teaching and has trained medical students, residents and fellows from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia), and Northstate University School of Medicine (Elk Grove) where he teaches as a Professor of Otolaryngology. Serving as a teacher-doctor could be considered one of the highest accomplishments any professional or any person can have, for that matter. Skills and knowledge can grow not just through study and research but through passing them on to more people who can practice them as well as improve them for more people to benefit from.

As a Physician-In-Chief, Rich has proven his himself to be a good leader as well as a trusted practitioner. In April of 2005, He was appointed to the Physician-In-Chief position for the South Sacramento and Elk Grove Medical Facilities. He supervises 450 physicians and more than 3,000 nurses and staff who care for the 210,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento and Elk Grove areas. Rich also serves as the Medical Director of operations, including all inpatient and outpatient departments. He also works as the Chief Medical Officer for the 290 bed Acute Care Hospital and ACS Level II Trauma Center.

Does Rich still have time to do something else?

We all know doctors are quite busy people but they do find time to enjoy life. Hence, as impressive as Rich’s credentials may appear, he does find time to be an active sportsman, being an Alpine Member at the National Ski Patrol. And while he is at that, he likewise provides comprehensive care to injured skiers at the Tahoe Donner Ski Resort. Now, that is impressive as well as admirable – having a great, exhilarating time and serving fellow sports-enthusiasts when they need medical care.

What can we say but present to you Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs – at your service! He must enjoy what he is doing.

Richard Isaacs MD: Kaiser health, wellness facility coming to Elk Grove

On June 16, Kaiser Doctors and area leaders broke ground at what will eventually be the new Promenade Medical Office Building in south Elk Grove.

The two-story, 67,000- square-foot Kaiser Permanente facility will be designed to focus on matters affecting patients’ mind, body and soul.

It will feature a 50-meter outdoor sports track that will be part of a 4,000-square-foot Sports Medicine Center where athletes can be evaluated and rehabilitated.

In addition to the sports center, the medical office will also house adult medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, health education, radiology, laboratory and pharmacy services.

The building is scheduled to open in late 2011.

Elk Grove Mayor Sophia Scherman, Vice Mayor Steve Detrick, city council member Pat Hume, Dr. Richard Isaacs, M.D., and Dr. Lisa Liu, M.D., broke ground where the new facility will be built.

“Your presence in Elk Grove means more quality health and wellness for our residents,” Scherman said in a speech before they broke ground.

Dr. Isaacs and Dr. Liu also addressed the crowd.

Liu said the building will be “thoughtfully designed” with soothing colors, local artwork and a coffee bistro inside.

“We’re committed to making our facility a one-stop shop,” she said.

The new office will have a Healthy Living store where members can buy health and wellness equipment.

“We’ve been looking forward to this for quite some time,” Isaacs said. “Driving through the community, we’re aware of the economic impact in this area.”

Liu echoed that statement in her speech, saying, “I’m sure it won’t be long until this facility is surrounded by retail stores and restaurants.”

The building will be adjacent to the vacant Elk Grove Promenade Mall site where construction halted due to developer General Growth Properties undergoing bankruptcy.

When Scherman addressed the crowd, she discussed the unfinished mall behind her. “Although there is no set date, the mall will open,” Scherman said; “hopefully, within two years, it will be completed.”

Kaiser is thinking about the future, Isaacs said.

“We’re really hoping this will stimulate this part of the region,” he said.

In the past 10 years, Kaiser has added 30,000 new area patients. This new facility will be able to accommodate the health needs of current and future members.

Since 1999, Kaiser began phasing out the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic in construction and implemented more environmentally friendly construction materials in their building designs.

The Promenade Medical Office Building will be built so that solar energy panels can be added in the future.

Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs: The Doctor is Out -- to Serve You!

Most professionals have worked inside a box for so long. By that, we mean it has taken so long for people to take the ways of the innovative world to benefit majority of people, especially in the medical profession. But doctors have learned to come out of their traditional comfort-zones in order to expand their horizon and serve more people in a more dynamic and effective way. Meet one of those physicians who is out there to serve your needs: Dr. Richard Isaacs.

Dr. Isaacs’ qualifications, as posted in his web homepage, were not meant to impress but to inform and convince people of what he is capable of providing. Rich is not only a specialist in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery but is also an experienced physician who has dealt with various cancer cases (facial skin cancer, jaw tumor. laryngeal cancer, paranasal sinus cancer and thyroid cancer and others). He has also worked in developing innovative medical procedures using robotics and computer-aided medical systems.

With his extensive experience and expertise, it is not surprising that Rich, who attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as an undergraduate, excelled in academics and garnered honors a graduate. He was born and raised in Detroit and finished his medical degree at the Wayne State University School of Medicine there, also finishing with honors.

Dr. Isaacs joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and he holds Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. His specializes in such cases as orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgical procedures. Moreover, Rich has undergone training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and is likewise an expert in post-tumor facial reanimation and facial reconstruction surgery. Rich is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as well as of the American College of Surgeons. He has written several articles in different medical and other related publications.

In his heart, Rich is a natural teacher and is engaged in training medical students, residents and fellows from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia), and Northstate University School of Medicine (Elk Grove) where he serves as a Professor of Otolaryngology. With his passion for teaching, Rich obviously finds personal satisfaction in achieving one of the noblest occupations any person can have in life. Expertise and knowhow thrive through continuing study and research, as well as through bequeathing them on to others who will likewise apply and pass them on through their own practice.

Being a Physician-In-Chief, Rich has shown good leadership abilities as well as proven his integrity as a trustworthy professional. In April of 2005, he was appointed to the Physician-In-Chief position for the South Sacramento and Elk Grove Medical Facilities. He heads 450 physicians and over 3,000 nurses and staff who serve 210,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento and Elk Grove locality. Rich also works as the Medical Director of operations, as well as all inpatient and outpatient sections. He likewise holds the position of Chief Medical Officer for the 290-bed Acute Care Hospital and ACS Level II Trauma Center.

Physicians are some of the most workaholic workers we know; however, they strive to spend meaningful time in other endeavors, such as in sports. And for a doctor with his credentials, Rich chose to become a skier and an Alpine Member at the National Ski Patrol, providing complete care to injured skiers at the Tahoe Donner Ski Resort. Not only is that inspiring; it is quite commendable – spending time out of the clinic and in the great outdoors while seeing to the medical needs of other sports-enthusiasts.

Here then is a physician you would want and who is totally prepared to meet your needs: Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs – now out there to catch you when you fall and falter.

Richard Isaacs, MD: California HealthCare Foundation Announces Fellows for Health Care Leadership Program

The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) has announced the selection of 30 health professionals for the ninth class of its Health Care Leadership Program. The program equips talented professionals with the skills needed to positively impact health care policy and delivery in California. Sponsored by CHCF, the program is administered by the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

“These leaders bring a broad range of experience as medical directors, administrators, and supervisors, as well as diverse fields of expertise including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, clinical informatics, public health, and business,” said Mark D. Smith, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation. “In the nine years that we’ve supported this effort, we’ve been impressed with participants’ sustained commitment to improve the quality and efficiency of health care in California,” said Smith.

Over the course of two years, fellows convene in seminars led by nationally recognized health care and leadership development experts and faculty associated with UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. The program addresses health care issues from business, leadership, and public policy perspectives. Participants learn to build and lead teams, manage complexity and change, understand and use financial management tools, and respond to the changing health care environment.

“The CHCF Health Care Leadership Program was and continues to be a transformational experience for me” said alumna Susan Ehrlich, M.D., M.P.P., CEO of the San Mateo Medical Center. “As a public hospital CEO and practicing primary care physician, I am deeply committed to improving the health of our communities and the quality, cost, and experience of health care. Through its network of fellows and alumni, I believe the program will make improvements of these types at every level of health care policy and operations throughout the state.”

CHCF Health Care Leadership Program Class of 2009-2011

Afshan Baig, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer, Clinica de Salud del Pueblo

Brawley

Thomas Barber, M.D.

Associate Physician-in-Chief, Kaiser Permanente

Oakland

Laurie Bauer, B.S.N., M.S.P.H.

Quality and Compliance Officer, Ravenswood Family Health Center

East Palo Alto

Patricia Bellas, M.D., M.P.H.

Associate Medical Director, The Children's Clinic

Long Beach

Lisa Benaron, M.D.

Medical Director, Far Northern Regional Center

Chico

Christine Castano, M.D.

Lead Physician, HealthCare Partners

Arcadia

J. Craig Collins, M.D., M.B.A.

Member, SCPMG Board of Directors; Surgical Residency Program Director; Assistant Chief of Surgery, Kaiser Permanente

Los Angeles

Edwin Feliciano, M.D.

Medical Director, Santa Barbara County Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services

Santa Barbara

Susan Fernyak, M.D., M.P.H.

Deputy Health Officer, Director, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, San Francisco Dept of Public Health

San Francisco

Khim Fugate, M.H.A., B.S.N.

Chief Nursing Officer, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

Colton

Paul Giboney, M.D.

Associate Medical Director, Clinica Msr. Oscar A. Romero

Los Angeles

Dawn Harbatkin, M.D.

Medical Director, Lyon-Martin Health Services

San Francisco

Richard Isaacs, M.D.

Physician-in-Chief and Chief of Staff Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento, The Permanente Medical Group

Sacramento

Janet Kiely, R.N., B.S.

Healthcare Administration, CNO/COO, Healdsburg District Hospital

Healdsburg

Claudia Landau, Ph.D., M.D.

Chief of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Alameda County Medical Center

Oakland

Roscoe Marter, M.D.

Vice President/Regional Medical Director-Santa Clarita Valley, Facey Medical Group

Valencia

Laura McComb, B.S.N.

Corporate Patient Safety Officer, Community Medical Centers

Fresno

Barak Mevorak, M.D.

CEO, Advanced Medical Review

Los Angeles

Sandra Moody, B.S.N., M.D.

Medical Director, Home Based Primary Care/Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, SF VA Medical Center/University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco

Danielle Myers, M.D.

Associate Medical Director, Golden Valley Health Centers

Merced

Jamie Phillips, B.S.N., M.H.A.

VP Regional Operations, HealthCare Partners Medical Group

Arcadia

Michelle Schneidermann, M.D.

Medical Director, SFDPH Medical Respite; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF/SFGH and SFDPH Medical Respite

San Francisco

Hani Sefain, Pharm.D.

Chief, Pharmaceutical Procurement, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services

Los Angeles

                 

Susan Smarr, M.D.

Physician-in-Chief, Santa Clara Medical Center, The Permente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente

Santa Clara

David Sofen, M.D.

Regional Medical Director, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group

Santa Cruz

Paul Subar, D.D.S., Ed.D.

Assistant Professor/Director, Special Care Clinic and Hospital Dentistry Program, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

San Francisco

Kenneth Tai, M.D.

Medical Director, North East Medical Services

San Francisco

Lucila Tarin, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer, University Muslim Medical Association

Los Angeles

Ana Valdes, M.D.

Medical Director, St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic

San Francisco

Kamille Wright, B.S.N., M.S.

Associate Hospital Administrator II, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services

Los Angeles

About the Center for Health Professions at UCSF

Since 1992, the Center has been dedicated to transforming health care by delivering Leadership programs to empower change agents at every level and within all sectors of the health care system; and internationally recognized, unbiased research to help health care decision makers understand today's workforce issues and design actionable strategies to solve them.

About the California HealthCare Foundation

CHCF is leading the way to better care for all Californians, particularly those whose needs are not well served by the status quo. We work to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford.

CHCF informs policymakers and industry leaders, invests in ideas and innovations, and connects with changemakers to create a more responsive, patient-centered health care system.

CONTACT INFORMATION

CHCF Communications Officer

California HealthCare Foundation