Dr. Cynthia Ann Dirkx, MD

Practicing Medicine at Kaiser Permanente

After my training, I chose a career with Kaiser Permanente because it was one of the few places that I thought would allow me to practice to the fullest of my capabilities without spending unnecessary time getting authorization from insurance companies or filling out stacks of forms to be able to perform an MRI on a patient in need. And to my surprise, there were so many other hidden benefits to working here. For instance, many of my colleagues were also recent graduates from UC Davis; we had already established a professional relationship and shared similar medical philosophies. The infrastructure at Kaiser Permanente allowed us to communicate easily over the phone and via computer. This meant greater ease of care for our patients and less chance that our patients or their health concerns would slip through the cracks.

My four years at Kaiser Permanente have been extremely rewarding. While I spend a fair amount of time reading studies …pertinent to my fellowship training (MRI, CT, and Ultrasound exams), I also read mammograms and perform fluoroscopic studies. In fact, some of my favorite moments occur when I am in direct contact with my patients rather than reading their studies in another room. These procedures include doing breast ultrasound exams, performing CT guided biopsies, and performing barium studies. It is during these moments that I get to chat with my patients, something I enjoy very much, and something I reminisce from my earlier career as a dental hygienist.

I like to think that I am able to give something back to Kaiser, especially my enthusiasm for my specialty and my deep respect for our patients. In addition, I participate in tumor boards, sit on administrative committees, and am sub-chief for our CT department.

If you can't tell by now, I am one of Kaiser's biggest cheerleaders. I believe in our mission of providing the highest quality of healthcare with an emphasis on complete integrated care, prevention, and the team approach. It really does work, and I believe that our patients are getting the best care possible. I hope that you too have a similar positive experience at Kaiser Permanente and will be with me and the rest of us for the years to come.