Susan Killion, MD

	Joined Aug, 1998 Department: Surgery Title: Physician Degree: MD Interests: Windsurfing, Surfing, Yoga, Fitness and Running Physician Homepage
Bio Practicing at Kaiser Permanente has been very rewarding for me because it allows me to focus on taking care of people rather than focusing on trying to run an office/business. I believe at Kaiser Permanente, because we are salaried, reimbursement doesn't create a conflict of interest in our decision-making. It is important for me to engage patients in the decision making process of their problem so we work together to achieve the best outcome. While my goal is to always know the absolute right answer and have a perfect result every time, if uncertainties or complications do arise, I pledge to do everything I can for you so things work out in the best way possible. I grew up in Arizona where most of my family still lives. My college and medical education were in Arizona and then, in search of new experiences, I went to Seattle for surgical training. While I enjoyed Seattle, the climate was too wet for my dry Arizona upbringing and now I couldn't be happier here in the Bay Area. I feel very fortunate to have joined Kaiser Permanente after finishing my 5 years of training in 1998.
My Medical Specialty
More details about my specialty: My practice involves dealing with a range of surgical problems including breast and colon cancer, gallbladder and hernia surgery, and diseases involving the blood vessels, such as aneurysms or carotid artery stenosis. My practice, however, isn't limited to these specific things as my training gives me competency to deal with a wide variety of problems and perform many other surgeries. My specialty interests and affiliations within my field: I am a fellow of the American College of Surgeons which is a scientific and educational association of surgeons founded to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice. Great health resources that I refer to: I have many surgical textbooks and regularly read the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Contemporary Surgery and Surgical Rounds. My favorite website for detailed but user-friendly medical information is: eMedicine.com which I highly recommend. Pubmed, found through Google, allows me to easily research and access information about a specific problem from all the medical journals.
Interests
In my free time, my passion is windsurfing. Any windy day that I am not working, I can be found windsurfing with my husband under the Golden Gate Bridge or at one of our coastal sailing sites. I recently started doing yoga due to developing back problems, and yoga has positively influenced me in many respects.	Hobby Photos & Links: rigging at Dillon Beach typical San Francisco summer day
Family & Friends
People in my life: My husband works in Silicon Valley at a "start-up" company. I've learned that start-ups come and go, but currently he is working at a company developing a unique and fun way to share and view photos, www.filmloop.com.	Photos of my Family & Friends: Michael
My pets: We have 3 cats: Leo and Yodi, who we adopted from the Forgotten Felines, and Bella, who adopted us.	Pet Photos: Leo and Yodi - Forgotten Felines Bella
Travel
One of my recent trips: Almost all our travel involves windsurfing destinations such as Baja, Hood River or Maui. My family on my mother's side has owned a house on Nantucket Island since the 1800's, and as a result, I have had the privilege to have many summer visits there.