Dr. Richard Neil Astorino, MD

My Profession

A pathologist is one type of physician most patients never meet yet they provide essential information in the evaluation of cytology, biopsy, and surgical specimens. This information is useful and often necessary for the patient and his/her clinician to plan for the care of many different diseases, including cancer.

I chose this specific field of medicine because it is relevant to almost every facet of medical practice and forms the scientific foundation for the understanding of disease processes.

Contrary to common belief, pathology practice is not a "black or white" assessment of biopsy, surgical, and cytology specimens. All too often the specimen falls into a gray area for which a highly nuanced explanation must be given. Sometimes the diagnosis my not be clear until special testing is performed and/or additional biopsies obtained. It is the job of the pathologist to give as clear and concise a diagnosis as possible given the inherent limitations involved in any …given pathology study.




Why I Like Working at Kaiser Permanente

I have been with Kaiser Permanente for over 14 years. Over that time, I have come to appreciate the colleagues within my department, as well as those in many different specialties. I have never worked with a more dedicated and talented group of people. We have made a tremendous amount of progress since I joined the group in 1990. One of the most helpful improvements for me has been the computerization of medical records. As a practicing pathologist, it is vital to correlate biopsy observations with clinical data such as imaging studies and clinical laboratory findings. The ease with which we may make these correlations is astounding, and it will only get better as new innovations come online. Kaiser Northern California has also developed a sophisticated regional immunohistochemistry laboratory that provides for us a testing menu and expertise on par with a University teaching hospital. We use this resource with great frequency. Another positive aspect of Kaiser Permanente medical practice is the fact that our use of outside consultants for difficult cases is controlled by each individual pathologist according to his/her knowledge and experience. The person in the front line is the one calling the shots.



My Outside Interests

I grew up in Stockton, California, just south of Sacramento. My brother and I were the first members of our familty to go to college. My father's parents were immigrants from southern Italy. His father had a fourth grade education and did manual labor from age 12 to when he retired at age 65. My mother is an English war bride who met my father when he was stationed in Britain as a U.S. Army airman during World War II. As a child, the importance of getting a good education was always sterssed. My interest in going to medical school had its early start during those childhood years of the 1950's and 60's.

My wife and I have two children and a cat. I enjoy bicycling along the American River Parkway and tennis, as well as reading history and good literature.