OnBehalfofJohnKerner

Dr. Kerner is an incredible physician, teacher and mentor. He embodies the essence of the type of faculty we need at LPCH.

I have known Dr. John Kerner since my arrival to San Jose, CA in 1978 as a private gastroenterologist. I immediately joined the Stanford faculty that year and am now Clinical Professor of Medicine Emeritus in the Division of Gastroenterology. In my earlier years, when Dr. Kerner was Co-Director of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, he assisted me with a number of adult patients with digestive absorptive disorders. A superb clinician, teacher, and mentor, Dr. Kerner has been an internationally recognized leader in the field of pediatric nutrition, failure to thrive, short gut syndrome, as well as both IV (TPN) and oral alimentation. He has trained numerous residents and GI fellows who view his teaching and commitment to patient care as inspiring. I was very disturbed to hear that Dr. Kerner's leadership titles for both Children's Home Pharmacy and Nutrition Support were removed last week. I strongly urge the medical and administrative leaders to reconsider these ill-advised decisions and to offer an alternative plan for this outstanding scholar and teacher. Sincerely yours, Alfred L. Hurwitz, MD Clinical Professor of Medicine Emeritus

Dr Kerner trained me 30 years ago. He is a dedicated excellent teacher and a astute clinician with nutrition experience that can’t be matched.

An amazing academician, a fantastic teacher, a physician with the heart on his sleeve, a noble human being, this is how I would describe Dr Kerner, my teacher, my colleague and my friend! He is the reason I am where I am, as division chief at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and I feel that I learned so much from him that there is not a student or resident who has not passed through rotations with me who has not heard of this wonderful Dr Kerner. I know this is the impression left on many academicians. As far as patients he is a selfless human being and has given his time and money to help so many children. It is an honor and a life long stamp on my career to have had the privilege to have trained under the great Dr Kerner!!! Anca Safta

This is devastating to hear, and I fully support this petition. Dr. Kerner has been the most influential provider I have worked with in my 10+ years at Stanford Children’s and he was the primary reason I joined the Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition care team in 2011, and have stayed with the IR team. The clinical nutrition department has greatly benefited from his support and experience; at nutrition support rounds weekly and beyond, he has been an invaluable educator as well as a resource for guidance. Dr. Kerner has been a proponent for RD education, encouraging us to stay up-to-date to best serve our patients. He has inspired me, and others, to obtain specialty certification in nutrition support, thus elevating the medical nutrition therapy we provide at LPCH for intestinal rehab and other patients. I am so grateful to have gained professionally from working with an esteemed expert with his level of experience and dedication to patient care, his generosity and patience in sharing his knowledge, his accountability, his appreciation of other members of the care team, and his commitment to ensure safe and outstanding care for patients. I agree that he deserves nothing short of our utmost respect.

I agree with everything in this petition, and I echo all the wonderful things that have been said about Dr. Kerner. Dr. Kerner was one of the main reasons I chose Stanford for my fellowship program. His dedication to education, his fellows, his patients, and their families is truly unmatched. There is no stronger advocate than Dr. Kerner. He has worked tirelessly for the fellowship program, the intestinal rehabilitation program, and the Children’s Home Pharmacy. He is nationally and internationally recognized for his wealth of knowledge in the field of pediatric nutrition and intestinal rehabilitation. For anyone who has ever witnessed his interactions with his IR patients, you will not find a more compassionate and devoted clinician. It saddens me to think that he would not be given the upmost respect that he has more than earned over his decades of service and dedication.

I am appalled to hear of these developments in the pediatric GI division. I owe so much to Dr Kerner and the rest of the faculty who helped train me as a fellow, and I carry their lessons with me in my practice as an attending. Dr Kerner is the backbone of the fellowship program. He is a tireless advocate for fellows, no matter how unpopular an issue might have made him, and he always made time for us, despite his many other duties. He ensured we would receive the best training possible, and now that I am in a vigorous full time practice as an attending, I can even more fully appreciate and be thankful for how well I was taught. Not all training programs are equal, and I can confidently say I was trained at one of the best. Not only is Dr Kerner full of invaluable knowledge, he is a leader of programs at Stanford and even the greater peds GI field as a whole. My current division chief, a contemporary of Dr Kerner’s, knows and respects Dr Kerner greatly (and he does not give out his respect lightly!), and him knowing I was trained my Dr Kerner played a role in him hiring me. But even greater beyond Dr Kerner’s knowledge and leadership is his compassion for his patients. It is not hyperbole to say he would do nearly anything for his patients. From making sure he found toys before their visits, to throwing every ounce of his energy into making sure they received the care they needed (not only medically, but logistically and socially as well), Dr Kerner truly in every way cares for his patients and their families, and they in turn clearly were grateful to him. The abrupt way in which his leadership roles have been removed is an insult to his decades of service, discounts the prestige he has helped bring to Stanford, and is a disservice to the many patients he has and continues to care for. I truly hope these decisions will be closely examined and re-evaluated, and that Dr Kerner is treated with the respect that behooves his many years of service and sacrifice for the

The Stanford Children’s Hospital vision is: “To heal humanity through science and compassion, one child and family at a time.” Dr. Kerner has embodied this vision and mission through the decades of his career. He has served as role model and advocate for generations of trainees in pediatric GI and pediatrics in medical education, clinical excellence and innovative research. He was one of the main reasons I chose to stay at Stanford for pediatric gastroenterology training and have stayed on as faculty. It deeply concerns me that abrupt changes without adequate transition may truly jeopardize the health and safety of the over 700 adults and children served by the Children’s Home Pharmacy and Nutrition Support Services. The recent events with Dr. Kerner’s medical directorship positions are extremely disheartening and disappointing. How do we (as an institution) inspire future generations of medical students and trainees? How do we sustain wellness in our medical staff and faculty? How do we recruit and retain excellent and dedicated faculty? Please, let us show gratitude and affirm the true dedication Dr. Kerner has shown for his patients and trainees by allowing him to transition from this spectacular career with grace. “Sometimes you don’t need to hear their excuses or what they have to say for themselves because their actions already spoke the truth.” ~ Prachi

Dr Kerner has been a tireless good citizen and dedicated clinician and educator of the pediatrics department at Stanford. With gratitude for all you’ve given

Dr. Kerner's extraordinary knowledge of pediatric nutrition and intestinal failure, as well as his personal commitment to patient care and physician training is beyond comparison. I will not waste space here repeating those truths. However, as a chair and director, this news forces me to question the wisdom of the leadership at LPCH and their commitment to high-quality, highly reliable, patient-centered care. It appears that this decision, as well as other leadership decisions that have led to the departure of their thought leaders and clinical experts in intestinal rehabilitation, intestinal/liver transplant and inflammatory bowel disease, are a sign of a division and department in crisis. As a referring physician, these decisions undermine the confidence I require to recommend LPCH for any child with complex health care needs. Matthew R. Riley, MD Chair, Department of Pediatrics, St. Vincent's Medical Center Clinical Director, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Providence Oregon Region Portland, OR

This petition has my full support. Dr. Kerner is the Willie Mays of lpch pediatric gastroenterology. As outlined in the letter, he has been an exemplary academic physician and advocate for his patients. He has dedicated his career to the development of pediatric gastroenterology at lpch including the CHP and Nutrition Support programs. In addition, he has mentored and impacted the careers of so many fellows, residents, and young gastroenterologists. Clearly, his hard work has laid the groundwork for those connected to lpch to succeed. A leader such as Dr. Kerner, who has given so much to lpch, should be afforded the opportunity to have a greater role in defining his transition. At the very least, he deserves to be treated with dignity and respect - which may be lacking in this process it seems.

Dr. Kerner was the reason I choose Stanford as my fellowship training program. He has been recognized nationally and internationally as one of the leading physicians in the field of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Generations of gastroenterologists around the country have learned from him and it’s disappointing to see that he is not valued as the extraordinary doctor and person he is. I fully endorse this letter. Patricio Arias, MD Director of Pediatric Hepatology Medical Director of Pediatric Liver Transplant Children’s Hospital of New Orleans

The petition letter is extremely accurate, no need of further words.

This is long overdue. I think that Mr. King ought to be included as well.

Dr. Kerner is well respected in the GI community for his knowledge and excellent care for his complicated patients. He goes above and beyond for patients, their families, the fellows and staff. He exemplifies the highest standard of values for children’s health at Stanford.

Everyone who has worked with Dr. Kerner knows him to be an unwavering advocate for the well-being of his patients. The pediatric gastroenterology community owes him good will and respect for his long service in teaching and in elevating the standard of care.

It would be difficult to find a person as committed to his patients, trainees, staff and the general practice of medicine as Dr. Kerner. I think anything short of a gradual and collaborative plan involving Dr. Kerner and all members of his current teams in Home Pharmacy, Nutrition Services and Intestinal Rehab for transition of leadership would be a huge disservice to patients, the current interdisciplinary team members of each group and LPCH as a whole. On a human level, Dr. Kerner should be allowed the opportunity to transition with dignity and grace based alone on his many decades of service to LPCH.

It should also be noted that Dr. Kerner’s dedication to his patients (both pediatric and adult) coupled with his incredible fund of knowledge is truly unmatched.

6 years ago Featured

Dr. Kerner is the main reason why I came LPCH to complete my pediatric gastroenterology fellowship. I received excellent training, guidance, and support throughout my 3 years of training. I am deeply disturbed by this news as it seems unjust and unfounded.

This is the most outrageous thing to happen ! Dr Kerner remains the most brilliant and competent physician known the management of short gut as related to TPN and nutrition. I have worked with him closely as well as his patients who are still alive in their twenties.Without his brilliant world renown knowledge of short gut these kids would not be alive ! He deserves to remain in a major position in these departments to keep LPCH a world renown gastroenterology short bowel center! Denise Lehman RN GI LPCH