Dr. Arthur W Grix Jr, MD

My Healthcare Practice

I am a Clinical Geneticist and help in the evaluation and care of patients suspected of having a condition due to changes in their genetic information. I became interested in Genetics when caring for infants and children with birth defects and mental retardation. I realized that I often did not understand why the children had these problems and was unable to answer many of the questions their parents had. I was fortunate enough to be offered a fellowship at UCSF with Dr. Bryan Hall, a master Dysmorphologist and wonderful mentor. During my fellowship I was able to learn many of the known syndromes causing birth defects and to develop an approach to the study of children with developmental handicaps and birth defects. Over the past 24 years I have been able to experience the explosion in knowledge of the role that human genetics plays in health and disease not only in the Pediatric population but also in adults. Our practice now includes the diagnosis and care of …many adults with genetically determined medical conditions including neurological disorders and predisposition to cancer. We are also involved in providing state of the art care in prenatal diagnosis along with our colleagues in the Perinatology department.

I have been part of Kaiser Permanente for 12 years after leaving the University of California, Davis where I was a member of the Department of Pediatrics. At Kaiser Permanente I have been able to work with a variety of specialists both in Pediatrics and Adult Medicine without constraint toward obtaining appropriate diagnostic studies. I have been able to participate in clinical research when it benefits the patients and improves the information I am able to provide them. As part of the largest clinical Genetics department in California my patients have access to second or third opinions from other well trained Geneticists as well as other specialists in the region. The integrated practice at Kaiser Permanente allows any practitioner to refer any patient to be evaluated through the Genetics Departments.

MEDICAL INFORMATION

As a clinician I believe that a well informed patient is better able to participate iin their health care. In the Department of Genetics we try to provide as much written information as is appropriate and recommend various internet sites that provide a wealth of information. The ability to access medical information both online and through the excellent Medical Library system has provided the most current information available for our patients. Among the best web sites we refer our patients to is MEDLINE PLUS which offers clear information in English and Spanish. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man provides comprehensive information of a medical nature for those conditions known to be genetically determined.



My Outside Interests

When I’m not working I enjoy playing handball, bicycling, and gardening.