Albert J. KAHANE

1928 - 2017

Dr. Albert Kahane passed away February 15th at Kaiser Hospital Morse Avenue at age 88, where he had spent 19 years as an obstetrician/gynecologist and as the Physician in Chief from 1976 to 1984. He was, in the true sense, a pioneer in the Permanente Medical Group. He was born August 9, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York, to immigrant parents who owned a grocery store. He graduated from Boys High and later, in 1948, from New York University with a major in English. His advice to "work hard" was exemplified in the Korean War where he worked as a combat medic in 1951-1952. He then entered medical school at Downstate New York, graduating in 1956. His internship was at Meadowbrook Hospital in Hempstead, New York, where he met his future wife, Mildred Laughlin. He then did a residency in OB/GYN in Brooklyn, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force. He was assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. In 1960, he married Mildred (Millie) and they spent four years in Anchorage before moving to Fairfield, California, where Al was in private practice. In May 1965, Dr. Kahane joined the Permanente Medical Group as one of the original physicians when it opened its facility on Morse Avenue in Sacramento. The original Physician in Chief was Dr. John Mott, and Al was one of John's "Twelve Disciples". As a pioneer with the Permanente Medical Group, he strove to be ahead of the times. In 1970 he received a grant to study the role and utilization of nurse practitioners in OB/GYN. This led to his collaboration on patient care with nurse practitioner Dorola Haley. Dr. Kahane also established and obtained accreditation for the first Sacramento Kaiser Foundation Hospital residency program in OB/GYN. He was also the first in Sacramento to propose the then-radical idea of fathers in the delivery room. Though there was a lot of resistance to this in the medical community, he persisted, as he felt it to be beneficial for the family...and he was proven right. Such advancements ran in the family. Millie was also involved in training nurse practitioners, and received high praise from them. They felt she helped them reach for a higher level of professionalism through education and training, which helped to ensure the stature of nurse practitioners in California. As a practicing physician, Dr. Kahane believed in the importance of being involved in professional organizations. He was active in the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society and later, when in an executive position in Oakland with the Permanente Medical Group, was active with the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association He had completed his OB/GYN boards, but went on to be "boarded" as a physician executive with the American College of Physician Executives. From 1979 through 1989 Dr. Kahane, along with Millie, participated in the "Health Team" of the annual Capitol to Capitol delegation sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. He believed in helping to set standards for what was expected of all Kaiser Permanente physicians, and was vital in getting Permanente physicians involved with their local medical society. His leadership positions included: Chief of OB/GYN at Kaiser, Sacramento Assistant Physician in Chief, Sacramento Physician in Chief at Morse Avenue, Sacramento Associate Executive Director of the Permanente Medical Group In addition, he was a member of the clinical faculty at UC Davis Medical Center in its early days. The growth of the Kaiser health plan throughout the Sacramento Region made it possible for Dr. Kahane to continue his goals, grooming and mentoring physicians for their roles in the South Sacramento and Roseville Medical Centers. He retired from the Permanente Medical Group in 1993. As he spent his medical career in large practices, he delivered more than 5,000 babies, and 10 years were devoted to service with the military. In 2009, Al and Millie returned from the Bay Area, and in 2013 he and Millie moved to Eskaton Village where he formed a Veterans Group that sponsors a Memorial Day Service each year. Over the years, Al enjoyed boating, skiing, cruising, travel and reading the Wall Street Journal. The Kahanes have collected a very eclectic art collection during their travels to all 7 continents. He is survived by his wife Millie, his sister Jacqueline and one son Robert and one daughter Bonnie. Dr. Kahane was interred at a private graveside service at East Lawn Sierra Hills Memorial Park. A Celebration of his life will be held Sunday, June 11, 2017. The family requests that any remembrances be made to the SSVMS Medical Student Scholarship Fund, or the charity of your choice. For online donation: http://www.ssvms.org/Programs/SupportOurPrograms/Donate.aspx For check: make out to "CSERF" with a notation: "SSVMS Medical Student Scholarship in memory of Dr. Al Kahane". Mail to SSVMS, 5380 Elvas Avenue, Suite #101, Sacramento CA 95819.