On January 21st, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, HPMG hosted the 10th Kaiser Permanente Hawai’i Annual Day of Service. More than 1,000 physicians, providers, staff, family, and community partners participated in numerous projects across eight sites throughout the state to honor the legacy of service left by Dr. Marin Luther King Jr.
Volunteers gave back to their communities by supporting ahupua‘a restoration and cultural preservation. Some of the activities included lo‘i and fishpond restoration, collecting kukui leaves and nuts, mangrove and limu removal, removing invasive plants and weeds, and trail building to just name a few. This year’s theme was ho‘oku‘ikahi which means to unify as one. It reflects our mission to bring together partnerships that improve the health of the communities we serve.
Pictured, L to R: Joseph Hong, MD; Loni Belaya, MD; Geoff Sewell, MD; Jonathan Cho, MD; Henry Lew, MD
Congratulations to our residents, Associate Program Directors & faculty for their numerous recognitions at the November 12th HPMG Research and Innovation Symposium!
Best Research Poster:
Bending the Curve on Melanoma: Early Detection and Mortality Through Automated Population-Based Screening by our very own Jonathan Cho, MD & faculty members, Stacey Honda, MD, PhD; Theresa Devere, MD; and Karen Ching, MD, PharmD.
Pictured, L to R: HPMG President & EMD Geoff Sewell, MD; Stacey Honda, MD, PhD; Theresa Devere, MD; Jonathan Cho, MD; Research Symposium Chairperson, Brian Lee, MD; Associate Medical Director, Knowledge Management, Grant Okawa, MD.
Best "Now" Innovation:
Still Not Your Grandma's Residency: Toolkit to Train Tomorrow's Healers by our Associate Program Directors, Loni Belyea, MD, MBA & Jennifer Katada, MD.
Pictured, L to R: HPMG President & EMD Geoff Sewell, MD; Loni Belyea, MD, MBA; Jennifer Katada, MD; Associate Medical Director, Primary Care, Samir Patel, MD.
Best "Near" Innovation:
Remote Glucose Monitoring by faculty members Kelly Kawaoka, MD, MPH & Jennifer Loh, MD
Pictured, L to R: HPMG President & EMD Geoff Sewell, MD; Kelly Kawaoka, MD, MPH; Assistant Associate Medical Director, Medical Education, Jennifer Loh, MD; Associate Medical Director, Primary Care, Samir Patel, MD.
Best Implementation of the Grand Rounds Strategy in 2017:
"A New Direction for Type 2 Diabetes" byResidents Jonathan Cho, MD; Matthew Chan, MD; Hisami Oba, MD; William Bae, MD & Matthew Yee, MD.
Pictured, L to R: HPMG President & EMD Geoff Sewell, MD; Jonathan Cho, MD; Matthew Chan, MD; Hisami Oba, MD; William Bae, MD; Matthew Yee, MD; Mitch Motooka, MD; Assistant Associate Medical Director, Medical Education, Jennifer Loh, MD.
Best Implementation of the Grand Rounds Strategy in 2018:
"Ravaged Joints: A Rheumatologist's Recommendations for Arthritis" byfaculty member David Finger, MD.
Pictured, L to R: HPMG President & EMD Geoff Sewell, MD; David Finger, MD; Assistant Associate Medical Director, Medical Education, Jennifer Loh, MD.
Residents pose for a quick candid at the Research and Innovation Symposium. Don't they look great?
Congratulations to Adham, Thuan, Mark, Manisha and Tina, our Internal Medicine Residency’s inaugural graduating class, for all successfully passing their American Board of Internal Medicine certification exam!
I pursued the practice and calling of medicine because I’ve always been interested in science and love talking to people and helping them in times of need. I deeply appreciate being able to come to work every day and combine my interests while making a difference in the lives of others.
Part of making that difference is caring for our members and patients today, while inspiring, educating, and supporting the physicians of tomorrow, so they’re able to continue that vital calling of caregiving. Residency programs are such an important part of shaping the next generation of physicians and providers, and I’m thrilled that we honored our inaugural graduating class on June 11. This critical milestone was framed in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony, during which our graduating residents and chief residents received kihei (textile wraps printed with symbols representing their educational experience) and lei hulu (feather lei symbolizing these cherished students).
We also hosted the annual white coat ceremony for our new residents in front of our HPMG providers and administrative staff, and it was a truly special moment and significant development for our program.
These graduates (and those who follow) are well-prepared to pass the ABIM Internal Medicine Board Certification Examination and begin a career that leverages comprehensive internal medicine training. Some are continuing on to subspecialty fellowships, and we’re excited to see their careers in medicine unfold.
Mahalo to our residency program sponsors, faculty, administrative staff, and the many other hands that support the growth of our resident physicians, and congratulations to our first residency program graduates!
Celebrating the inaugural graduating class of the KPHI Internal Medicine Residency Program: Pictured, L to R: Executive Sponsor & AMD, Primary Care, Samir Patel, MD; Program Director Mitch Motooka, MD; 2017-2018 Chief Resident Loni Belyea, MD; Manisha Perera, MD; Thuan Nguyen, DO; Adham Osman, MD; Mark Chinen, MD; Tina Kuribayashi, DO; 2016-2017 Chief Resident Jennifer Katada, MD; HPMG President & EMD Geoff Sewell, MD.
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Residency Program Focused on Continuous Improvement
Continuous improvement is a philosophy embedded throughout our residency program’s three-year curriculum. In alignment with Graduate Medical Education accreditation standards, residents are trained in improvement methods and apply skills in continuous improvement toward individual, group, and interdisciplinary projects. Two notable resident initiatives focused on vitamin D quality and new type 2 diabetes medications. Residents met with faculty mentors to take these projects from current state analysis and problem identification to presenting continuing medical education segments on their projects and trialing tools and processes to support operational changes.
“It’s my hope that our graduates apply their learnings in continuous improvement and strive to make health care better in all areas in which they practice in this next phase of their careers,” said Todd Kuwaye, MD (Residency Program Sponsor; AAMD, Continuous Improvement; AAMD, Primary Care Operations, Oahu; Chief, Lihue Clinic).
Other continuous improvement projects being undertaken by residents include:
Increasing the number of patients with advance health care directives
Improving physician/provider-patient communication after urgent imaging studies
Partnering with co-residents to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in the hospital setting
Increasing colorectal cancer screening rates
Residents pictured L to R: Jonathan Cho, MD; Matthew Yee, MD; Hisami Oba, MD; Matthew Chan, MD; William Bae, MD; Jennifer Loh, MD (Chief of Endocrinology)
The New Type 2 Diabetes Medication Quality Improvement Initiative reviewed the evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of newer diabetes medications and developed operational tools within KP HealthConnect® to help providers apply the evidence through point-of-care resources.
Did You Know?
Hawaii Permanente Medical Group is the state’s largest group practice. Building on over five decades of innovation, our 600+ physicians and providers in over 120 specialties are dedicated to ensuring that every member receives the best care possible. Our physicians and other providers are required to demonstrate the core values of professional competency, integrity, flexibility, reliability, compassionate caring, and a commitment to excellence.
The Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program is founded on these values and sets you on the path to a fulfilling, successful career in medicine. If this sounds like an environment where you would like to learn and practice medicine, applications for our 2019-2020 class will be accepted starting in September.
This is an exciting juncture for our internal medicine residency program. We now have a full complement of 15 residents in different stages of residency training, and it has been personally rewarding to see the energy and determination of our new interns and the tremendous growth in those who have been with us since our program began.
I am very pleased to announce that our Chief Resident, Dr. Jennifer Katada, has become a primary care physician with the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. I am proud to have her join us as a colleague, appreciate her contributions to our residency program, and look forward to her ongoing support of our program. Dr. Loni Belyea will be serving as our new Chief Resident and her support has already proven valuable to me and our residents.
As I reflect on 2017 thus far, a few highlights come to mind:
Volunteering alongside residents and their loved ones on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
An important goal of our program is to ensure our residents are integrated into the community and help perpetuate our local cultural knowledge, wisdom and practices. On MLK Day, our residents and guests volunteered at Ka‘ala Farm on the Wai‘anae Coast, joining 1,000 other KP Hawaii family, friends, and community partners volunteering different sites across the islands.
Watching the inaugural Resident Grand Rounds
After braving a rigorous presentation skills course and spending many hours in preparation, our R2s presented Clinicopathological Conference at Grand Rounds in February, which was broadcast to over 20 sites across 4 islands. Our faculty members and I were so proud to watch them as they presented a case of autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy.
Welcoming our new interns at Professional Development Day and engaging in SELF CARE activities
Joining the residents at Breakout Waikiki
Who would have thought an icebreaker competition of residents collectively solving riddles would lead to so many shared learnings about teamwork and communication?
We are definitely on our way to a terrific new residency year full of learning, commitment to excellence, and hopefully as much SELF CARE as possible!
Mahalo!
Mitch Motooka, MD, FACP Program Director Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program
Five new internal medicine interns officially joined the KP Hawaii family on June 12 with a welcoming white coat ceremony at HPMG’s Professional Development Day. With their entrance into the Internal Medicine Residency Program, all 15 slots across three residency classes are now filled for the first time.
“Everyone has been very welcoming and patient with me and our group, so I really appreciate that,” said Matthew Chan, MD, who attended Mid-Pacific Institute and received his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University. “I know diabetes is a big challenge here, and I can’t wait to learn about the different ways we help patients address the disease.”
Four of the five new residents have ties to Hawaii. They’ll continue to work out of Mapunapuna Medical Office, with regular didactic learning sessions and clinical training that focuses on ambulatory medicine. Program Director Mitch Motooka, MD, will oversee the residents along with various faculty mentors from internal medicine and related subspecialties.
“From day one we had a mentor – someone we can shadow and go to for help,” said Jonathan Cho, MD, a graduate of the University of Nevada School of Medicine.
“After meeting the other residents and Dr. Motooka, I knew this would be the right place for me.” “When I was applying to residencies, I was looking for a program that was smaller in size with a close-knit experience,” said Matthew Yee, MD, a Kaiser High School graduate who earned his medical degree from the American University of Antigua College of Medicine. “I want to know my patients and establish a patient population of my own that I can follow through residency, and hopefully thereafter.”
Beginning their residency at HPMG’s Professional Development Day dedicated to health and wellness was an “amazing” experience for the newcomers. “The fact that this organization supports SELF CARE, that’s really great,” said Hisami Oba, MD, who went to Kalani High School and attended the University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine. “There are so many different teams helping to make this organization work, so I feel that the physicians have great support behind them in whatever they want to do.”
“In Korea, we focus on taking care of the disease and not as much on taking care of the person,” said William Bae, MD, a graduate of the Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. “I’m looking forward to getting good training on patient-centered care. It’s going to make me a more compassionate and caring physician.”
Incoming Chief Resident Loni Belyea, MD, who joins the program in July, was also on hand for the white coat ceremony. “I’m excited about my upcoming year as chief resident,” said Belyea. “I hope to serve as an advocate, teacher, and mentor to the internal medicine residents.”
As 2016 comes a close and we welcome in the New Year, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to each and every faculty member, provider colleague, nurse, and administrative assistant who supported our internal medicine residents throughout this exciting year.
I would also like to acknowledge Dr. Jennifer Katada, our chief resident, for serving as an exceptional resource and mentor to this talented team. I’m humbled to have the opportunity to work with such generous and enthusiastic individuals who share a collective commitment to compassion, innovation, and excellence.
In a relatively short time, we’ve refined our program to offer our residents a deeper and broader experience that paves the way for their future in medicine. Whatever path they choose, I’m confident that by the end of their three-year residency, they’ll be well prepared to meet the highest standards of care and service we expect from all our physicians and providers.
Not too long ago our new residents made their first IM CME presentation on vitamin D deficiency, summarizing the recent guideline changes for our internal medicine physicians and providers. In a truly collaborative effort across disciplines, they partnered with one of the residents in our KP Hawaii Pharmacy Residency Program to optimize their recommendations.
I was also delighted to see one our residents –Tina Kuribayashi, DO, PGY-2 –receive a top honor for Best Case Report Poster at the 2016 HPMG Research & Innovation Symposium in November. Dr. Kuribayashi partnered with our Chief of Neurology, Todd Devere, MD, on the poster presentation entitled “HMG-CoA Reductase Autoimmune Necrotizing Myopathy: A Rare Side Effect to a Commonly Prescribed Medication.”
The transition to a new year also means we’re approaching the end of the interview season. We’ve met many skilled and inspiring medical students throughout this process. For those who’ve never done a rotation at Kaiser Permanente, it’s only through these interviews, tours, and conversations with current residents, faculty, and physicians of the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group, that they truly begin to understand the benefits of working with Hawaii’s largest multispecialty group practice. They’re also able to get a sense of what it’s like to practice Permanente Medicine, with its rigorous standards for high-quality, evidence-based care.
I would like to thank all of our candidates for their excellent questions, suggestions, and engagement. We’re looking forward to another fantastic year ahead, as we continue to grow our program in 2017.
Mahalo and Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!
Mitch Motooka, MD, FACP
Program Director
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program
I’m proud to announce that Kaiser Permanente’s Internal Medicine Residency Program has progressed to a new level of distinction with the addition of a chief resident to our team. We’re pleased to welcome Jennifer Katada, MD, who is serving in this important one-year appointment.
The chief resident role is a time-honored position, integral to every training program, and earned by demonstrating excellence as a resident. Dr. Katada will work closely with me to support our residents and ensure they’re successful in their ongoing medical training.
Communication is Key
Communication is at the heart of everything we do in patient care.Dr. Katada is playing a key role by serving as a liaison between the residents, attending faculty, and the other Kaiser Permanente staff. With our 10 residents on different rotations, keeping everyone informed and in the loop is critical. When we welcome a new set of residents in July 2017, this will be even more important. Coordinating rotation schedules, conferences, meetings, and other resident activities will become increasingly challenging as we enter the third year of our residency program.
Focus on Quality
In addition to communication, we also emphasize the importance of high-quality, patient- and family-centered care. We continually look at ways to improve quality and the residency experience. Dr. Katada will be instrumental in facilitating those discussions so that we can bring out the best in each resident and strengthen our program for future residents.
Emphasis on Ongoing Education
Formal and informal teaching and learning remain the hallmark of our residency program. Although the residency program will grow, I’ll still have direct access to the residents. As many know, I enjoy teaching and Dr. Katada will be able to free me up to focus on my role as program director. This will mean more time for me to concentrate on educational activities and program development.
Preparing to Select the Next Set of Residents
As the year quickly comes to a close, we’ll soon be interviewing candidates for our next class. As always, we’re looking for residents who share our commitment to compassion, innovation, and excellence. And although it’s not a requirement, we hope to find five fantastic clinicians who have aspirations of remaining in Hawaii after residency to practice in one of our clinics at Kaiser Permanente.
Interviews start in November and continue through January 2017, and this year, Dr. Katada will be part of the interview process. We’ll celebrate Match Day in March, and the candidates will be onboard in June 2017.
Mahalo for your ongoing support in shaping Kaiser Permanente’s Internal Medicine Residency and helping us to grow as we work to serve our members and improve the health of our local community.
Mahalo!
Mitch Motooka, MD, FACP Program Director Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program
JENNIFER KATADA, MD
Chief Resident
University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine –
Honolulu, HI
I’m excited to be serving as chief resident for Kaiser Permanente Hawaii’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. I’ve always been interested in medical education programs and it’s the reason I pursued internal medicine.
When I was growing up, I watched my grandfather being treated for the complications of a lifetime of smoking. I wanted to help others the way my grandfather’s doctors were helping him through very challenging times. My goal is for all my patients to live happy, healthy lives, and ensure all of my fellow residents receive the support they need to get the most from their residency experience.
