Christopher Crossland, MD

Bio

My career began at Kaiser Permanente in 1998 after completion of my residency in Family Medicine at UCLA. I became a Family Physician because I value the personal interactions and variety that come with the care of all generations. For example, one rewarding day last year began with rounding in the newborn nursery and ended discussing politics with a 102-year-old woman!

I chose Kaiser Permanente because I wanted a practice environment where patient care was my primary concern. Unlike some in private practice, I do not have to waste my time to seek approval from an HMO clerk to order an MRI. This allows me to focus more fully on the patient and the particular clinical issues at hand.

One thing that I like most about Kaiser Permanente is the quality of my colleagues. I know that if I refer someone to neurology, they will get excellent care. Similarly, if I am away on vacation, colleagues in my department will assure that my patients' needs are fully addressed.

I would describe my practice philosophy as a combination of completeness and flexibility. No one style fits all, I've learned. I expect my patients to participate in their care plan so we can work together for the best outcomes. My practice areas of special interest are sports medicine, wilderness medicine and pediatrics.

Outside the office, where can you find me? Well, at home you can find me in the back yard playing ball with my sons, or cooking with my wife. I enjoy camping and hiking. I have cycled the Rockies from Denver to Montana. I have been to India twice. You may find me in a rock group that opened for Los Lonely Boys. Or maybe you will find me to be the right physician for you.

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

My practice includes adults, Pediatrics, including newborns, Gynecology, and Geriatrics. Besides Obstetrics, I'll do just about anything! I just love the variety of a practice in Family Medicine.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

Sports Medicine, Pediatrics

Great health resources that I refer to:

Both the Healthwise Handbook and our Health Education Department are outstanding resources.

An interesting story from my training:

I got to meet Jamie Lee Curtis. Ask me how.

Interests

Currently reading:
Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner

My favorite book or author:
Tao of Pooh

Great movie:
The Commitments

Family & Friends

People in my life:

My wife is also a physician in the Santa Rosa area where she practices Pediatrics. Between our busy practices and activities, we like to take walks with our children.

My children and people I care about:

I have 2 wonderful, very active children who keep us very busy at home. They like to run. Boy, do they like to run. Last year we took them skiing to Squaw Valley, to see if we could tire them out. No luck! But now they love to run AND ski.

An interesting story about my family or friends:

I highly recommend a family vacation to Lava Beds National Monument. The kids absolutely loved exploring the dark and twisting tunnels. We got some very cool video of the experience. Later we stopped by Crater Lake to take in the miraculous azure color!

Photos of my Family & Friends:

Family Photo

Squaw Valley

Greetings From Crater Lake

Although I don't have any pets presently, I did have a close encounter with a Saber-Toothed Cat.

Pet Photos:

Attack of the Saber Tooth Cat

Travel

An adventure I've had:

Several things come to mind, but cycling from Denver to Montana in the Rockies is high on the list. Over 4 weeks we covered 700 road miles and crossed the Continental Divide 5 times.

Favorite place in the world:

John Muir Wilderness, Ca: it's hard to explain, but the wide open, high Sierra, snow-covered terrain is absolutely enchanting. (But I also have a great time in Vancouver, BC.)

One of my recent trips:

I once attended a Wilderness Medicine conference in Whistler, Canada. Can you believe that I got Continuing Medical Education credit for using a GPS?