Alta Bates Summit Medical Center

Dr. Bloom is currently in private practice in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) in Berkeley, California and serves as Chief of OMS at Alta Bates- Summit Medical Center. He is currently an associate professor of OMS at the University of the Pacific and Highland Hospital Alameda Medical Center in Oakland, CA. Previously he has served as Chairperson of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of California, Irvine. He lives with his wife and 2 daughters in Lafayette, California.

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Formerly on staff at the University of Texas San Antonio, Dr. Kazantsev has extensive experience in laparoscopic, gastrointestinal, and bariatric surgery.

Dr. McCullough is a specialist in male sexual health and fertility. He is Assistant Professor at New York University Medical Center and Director of the University''s Male Sexual Health and Fertility program. Dr. McCullough also serves on staff at a number of hospitals in the New York area including the Hospital of Joint and Bone Disease and the Manhattan Veterans Administration Hospital. He is a reviewer for the Journal of Urology and Urology.

Dr. Arden Christen reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Christen is Professor and Director of Preventive and Community Dentistry in the Department of Oral Biology at Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis. He is coauthor of a textbook, Primary Preventive Dentistry, 4th Edition, published in 1995. Dr. Christen is also an expert on smoking cessation and co-director of the Indiana University Nicotine Dependence Program. Dr. Christen retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force in 1980. Since then, he has been involved in many tobacco-related research projects, focusing on nicotine withdrawal therapy in dental practice and the effects of using smoked and smokeless tobacco. He is coauthor of the 1990 Surgeon General's Report, "The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation."

Dr. Hurwitz is Associate Professor of Neurology and Associate Professor of Community and Family Medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He has served as principal investigator on several research projects regarding the treatment of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson''s disease, and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Dr. Hurwitz is a well-known speaker at national and international neurological conferences and has written or coauthored chapters in books and articles for peer-reviewed medical journals.

Dr. Benjamin Natelson reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Natelson is a Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the New Jersey Medical School. He also serves as Co-Director of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia Center in New Jersey. This reviewer reported no financial conflicts.

Dr. Brent T. Shoji reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Shoji is a specialist in abdominal and gastrointestinal surgery. He has been an Associate Surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston since 1987. Dr. Shoji was an Instructor in Surgery at Harvard Medical School from 1989 until July of 1997, when he was named Assistant Professor of Surgery. Dr. Shoji also practices with Brigham Surgical Group, Department of Gastrointestinal/General Surgery. He has been affiliated with Harvard Vanguard Medical Association (formerly Harvard Community Health Plan) since 1987 and was chief of general surgery from 1991 to 2005.

Dr. Kelly is a urologist with fellowship training in female urology, urodynamics, and pelvic reconstructive surgery. He is an assistant professor of urology at the New York University School of Medicine.

Dr. Carr is the Saltonstall Professor of Pain Research in the Departments of Anesthesia and Medicine at New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. A graduate of Columbia College and Columbia University, Dr. Carr trained in internal medicine at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and later at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he continued his training in internal medicine, endocrinology, and anesthesiology. He is a diplomate of the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine. Known internationally for his contributions to pain research, Dr. Carr co-chaired and drafted major portions of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Clinical Practice Guidelines on Acute and Cancer Pain Management. He was principal technical consultant for the evidence report on cancer pain prepared by the Evidence-Based Practice Center at Tufts University School of Medicine and New England Medical Center and played a lead role in developing pain treatment programs at Massachusetts General Hospital and the New England Medical Center. He is Editor-in-Chief of the International Association for the Study of Pain publication Pain: Clinical Updates; he is lead editor for pain trials in the Cochrane collaborative review group on Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care; and he serves on editorial boards of several pain-related journals. He co-directs the master's degree program in Pain Research, Education, and Policy at Tufts University School of Medicine. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Pain Society, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the International Association for the Study of Pain, and on the Legislative Task Force on Pain of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Dr. Carr has published widely and is the recipient of many awards, including the Bernard Schoenberg Memorial Award, American Institute of Life-Threatening Illness and Loss, New York; a citation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for co-chairing the Acute and Cancer Pain Guideline Panels; selection as a Bonica Lecturer for the University of Washington; and honorary fellowship in the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the College of Anaesthetists of Australia and New Zealand.

Dr. David A. Szalay reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Szalay is an Associate Professor and Program Director for Vascular Surgery in the Department of Surgery at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. This reviewer reported no financial conflicts.

Dr. Mendelssohn is chief and physician director of the Department of Nephrology at Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He is currently one of two Canadian principal investigators for the multinational Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study (DOPPS). Dr. Mendelssohn has chaired the Nephrology Section of the Ontario Medical Association. He has also served as chair of the Specialist Coalition of Ontario, the Toronto Region Dialysis Committee, and the Professional and Public Policy Committee of the Canadian Society of Nephrology.

Dr. David Lau reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Lau is a practicing endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes, obesity, and lipid disorders. He is a Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Chair of the Diabetes and Endocrine Research Group at the University of Calgary. Dr. Lau is President of Obesity Canada which is a not-for-profit organization aimed at improving the health of Canadians by reducing the occurrence of obesity through research, education, and service. In 2004 he was honored as one of the top 20 Calgarians and one of the top 50 Albertans for his contributions to health care and research related to obesity. Dr. Lau is an active researcher, educator, and clinician, and he has published over 100 scientific papers. He is also involved in giving public lectures and forums on diabetes, lipids, and obesity. He spearheaded the evidence-based Obesity Canada clinical practice guidelines for the management and prevention of obesity in adults and children. He has served as an expert panel member on the WHO-International Obesity Task Force and the 1998, 2003, and 2007 Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines for Body Weight Classification, and he is currently a member of the expert panel for the 2007 guideline update.

Dr. David Alexander reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Alexander specializes in neurological rehabilitation. He is a Professor of Neurology at the University of California and Medical Director of the UCLA Neurological Rehabilitation and Research Unit at the Reed Neurological Research Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Alexander served as an expert panel member and author of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Clinical Practice Guideline titled "Post-Stroke Rehabilitation."

Dr. Brown is a naturopathic physician and one of the leading authorities in the United States on evidence-based herbal medicine. A graduate and former associate professor of the Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, Dr. Brown has served on the Advisory Board of the American Botanical Council and the President''s Advisory Board of Bastyr University. Dr. Brown has served as an advisor to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. He is the author of Herbal Prescriptions for Health and Healing (Prima Lifestyles, 2000) and co-author of The Natural Pharmacy (Three Rivers Press, 2006) and the A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Three Rivers Press, 2006).

Dr. Douglas Jacobs, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, is a nationally recognized expert on suicide and depression and a leader in the mental health field. He also maintains a clinical practice in Wellesley and Newton, Massachusetts, and is on the staff of several psychiatric hospitals in the greater Boston area. Dr. Jacobs founded and is Executive Director of Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (formerly the National Mental Illness Screening Project), a nonprofit organization devoted to mental health education and screening. He has edited three books and numerous papers on suicide. Dr. Jacobs founded and directs National Depression Screening Day, the first program to apply the concept of a large-scale health screening to a mental illness. This collaborative effort is cosponsored by several national organizations including the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, and the National Mental Health Association. Since 1991, the program has provided free nationwide depression screenings each October during Mental Illness Awareness Week. In 1999, more than 3,000 sites around the country offered free screening for depression, and more than 100,000 people attended. The success of National Depression Screening Day led Dr. Jacobs to establish Screening for Mental Health, which helps coordinate national mental health screening programs and ensure cooperation, professionalism, and accountability in mental illness screenings. Screening for Mental Health also offers screening programs for eating disorders and alcohol as well as interactive screening services via telephone and the Internet.

Dr. Constantine, a Professor Emeritus at the College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, has extensive knowledge of natural products and herbal medicine. Dr. Constantine teaches continuing education programs to pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals throughout the United States and has lectured at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and Western States Chiropractic College. A past-president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, Dr. Constantine has authored 52 professional and scientific articles and currently is a reviewer for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. He is author of Tyler''s Tips-the Shopper''s Guide for Herbal Remedies (Haworth, 2000). Dr. Constantine is also the chair of the Naturopathic Formulary Council for the Board of Naturopathic Board of Examiners and co-founder of the Benton Hospice in Corvallis, Oregon.

Dr. Philippides is director of the Coronary Care Unit at Boston Medical Center and an assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.

Helen has had the unique experience of undergoing bariatric surgery herself. She is the primary point of contact between referring physicians and patients and also runs our monthly support group.

Dr. Ian MacDonald reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. MacDonald is the Branch Chief of Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Gerber is Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences at Western States Chiropractic College (WSCC) in Portland, Oregon, and also teaches postgraduate courses for several other colleges. He graduated from WSCC in 1981, received his master's degree in nutrition from the University of Bridgeport in 1986, and is board certified in nutrition and orthopedics. Dr. Gerber is the author of Handbook of Preventive and Therapeutic Nutrition (Aspen, 1993) and a contributor to Conservative Management of Sports Injuries (Williams & Wilkins, 1997). In addition to contributing to Healthnotes, he is the science advisor for the Healthnotes Newsletter.

Dr. Ginsberg is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He has been the director of the Thromboembolism Unit at Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals since 1989. In 1998 Dr. Ginsberg received the Stephen Garnett Distinction Award for Outstanding Physician which was awarded by the Hamilton Health Sciences Medical Staff. Dr. Ginsberg is actively involved in research and is an accomplished author of book chapters, articles for peer reviewed journals and abstracts. His current research interests include the clinical development of novel antithrombotic agents, the diagnosis and management of thrombosis during pregnancy, the prevention and treatment of post-phlebitic syndrome, the investigation of the clinical complications of antiphospholipid antibodies, and the diagnosis of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Dr. Ginsberg served as an Editorial Board Member for Evidence-based Cardiovascular Medicine in 1996 and served as a grant reviewer for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada for several years. He also serves as a career investigator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Dr. Appleton is a licensed naturopathic physician, writer, and educator in the field of evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. He received his bachelor's degree from Reed College and his doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM). Dr. Appleton completed a residency at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, where he was also on faculty as an adjunct professor of orthopedics and clinical medicine. He has had private practices in Washington, Vermont, and Oregon, and has also worked in the nutritional supplement industry as a director of scientific and regulatory affairs. Dr. Appleton is currently Chair of the Nutrition department at NCNM. He has been a regular contributor to several Healthnotes publications, including Healthnotes Newswire, Healthnotes, Clinical Essentials, and Quick!Reference.

Dr. Simon is an internist with specialized training in gastroenterology at the Kingston General and Hotel Dieu Hospitals in Kingston, Ontario. He is a professor emeritus in the Department of Medicine at Queen's University. In 2000 Dr. Simon received the Aesculapian Society Education Award, as he had earlier in 1995 and 1999. In 2001 he received the Aesculapian Society Phase IIE Teaching Award. He has also received the Basmajian Award for his research. Dr. Simon serves as a manuscript referee for a number of peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Hepatology, Gastroenterology, JAMA, the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology. He is an active researcher and lecturer and is widely published in Canada and the United States.

Dr. Moeschler is board certified in pediatrics and medical genetics. Dr. Moeschler has served on various National committees including Dysmorphology Committee, American College of Medical Genetics, Board of Directors for the American Association of University Affiliated Programs, and the Information and Education Committee for the American Society of Human Genetics. He currently serves on the Committee on Genetics, American Academy of Pediatrics and is the AAP liaison to the Committee on Genetics of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He served on the Editorial Board of Genetic Resource, published by the Massachusetts State Genetics Program and the New England Regional Genetics Group. He is the Consulting Editor for Mental Retardation published by the American Association on Mental Retardation. Dr. Moeschler is a journal referee for Pediatrics, the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Annals of Plastic Surgery, and Mental Retardation. Dr. Moeschler is active in several research projects with his primary focus on individuals with disabilities and neurodevelopmental disabilities, and on delineation of genetic syndromes. He is an active speaker at both regional and national conferences, and is widely published in a variety of peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Hughes specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse and addictions, including alcohol, drugs, nicotine, tobacco, and caffeine. He is Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology and Family Practice at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Dr. Hughes is a founding member of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and a member of the American Psychiatric Association''s Council on Addiction Psychiatry. He is Chairman of the Association''s Nicotine Dependence Task Force and the Nicotine Dependence Treatment Guidelines. He has served as primary investigator on many research projects and is a prolific writer and editor. Dr. Hughes has written over 200 scientific publications on drug abuse. Since 1986, he has served as a reviewer for a number of Reports of the Surgeon General.

Dr. Kathleen Romito reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Romito is a family medicine physician in Boise, Idaho. She works at St. Luke''s Family Medicine Clinic, focusing on prevention, self-care, and self-responsibility. She has served as an associate medical director for Healthwise since July 2005.

Dr. Yoneda is an internist who specializes in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. He was named assistant professor in residence in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine''s Department of Internal Medicine in 1997 and promoted to Associate Professor in 2005. Prior to moving to Sacramento, he was assistant professor of medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno. Dr. Yoneda has served as principal investigator on several research projects and has published a number of articles about his work in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Dr. Laurence M. Epstein is a cardiologist who specializes in cardiac electrophysiology. Dr. Epstein''s clinical specialties include all areas of cardiac electrophysiology, including outpatient arrhythmia management, diagnostic, electrophysiologic studies, catheter ablation, pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation, and pacemaker lead extraction. Dr. Epstein is the Chief of the Arrhythmia Service and Director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing Laboratory at Brigham and Women''s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Epstein is active in scientific research relating to the development and testing of new therapeutic approaches to the management of cardiac arrhythmias. He has co-authored a variety of articles published in leading medical journals, reports, and book chapters. Dr. Epstein has been invited to speak at numerous regional and national conferences.

Dr. Reichman is the executive director of the New Jersey Medical School National Tuberculosis Center and professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine and Community Health at New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey. He has been the principal investigator for several National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants related to tuberculosis. Dr. Reichman serves as chairman of several CDC committees, including the National Coalition to Eliminate Tuberculosis and the National Tuberculosis Training Initiative. He participates in numerous professional organizations and societies, including the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, where he served as vice-chair of the Executive Committee; the American Lung Association, where he served as president; the American Thoracic Society; and the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Reichman has published more than 200 articles, scientific reviews, and book chapters, many on the diagnosis, treatment, control, patient compliance with therapy, and epidemiology of tuberculosis and other infectious lung diseases. In 1993, he published the first comprehensive medical book covering tuberculosis, which is now in its second edition. His most recent book, Timebomb: The Global Epidemic of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, received the American Medical Writers Association''s Best Trade Medical Book award in 2002.