Samir Patel

After graduating from residency in Tucson in 1991, we moved to Palau, Micronesia and spent 5 wonderful years developing health care there for a population of 10,000 some living about 350 miles from the main islands. After that, we moved to Hawaii and I spent a year trying to develop a family practice residency program in Hilo, HI, as a faculty member for the Univ. of Hawaii. After a year of trying, it was clear we did not have support from the community so I left and moved to Hana, HI a rural community of about 2000 people on Maui. We formed a community health center there and worked there for 3 years doing full-spectrum family medicine. Then, moved to Oahu, HI and I joined a small clinic serving mainly a native Hawaiian population in Waianae, HI with Hawaii Permanente Medical Group (HPMG). I am currently still with HPMG and have a half-time clinical practice and half time administrative position as the Asst. Medical Director of Primary Care and Innovation, where I oversee primary care services for about 240, 000 members. Over the past 5 years I have been integrating and developing electronic tools for population management and bringing evidenced-based medicine to the point of care in the exam room.