Helping women
for three generations
Helping women for three generations In 1960, Dr. Eichhorn announced the opening of his medical practice for “The Treatment of Women” and “Family-Centered Obstetrical Care.” The 1960s were a time for major change in the country. This was true with many new ideas and concepts regarding preparation for childbirth as well as early child development. Both Dr. Eichhorn and his wife, Donis, were sensitive and responsive to these “new ideas” and started the first practice-based “preparation for childbirth” (Lamaze) classes in Northern California. He was also the first in this area to advocate having husbands in the delivery room. As these concepts became more popular, the Eichhorns taught nurses, childbirth educators, Ob/Gyn residents, and medical students these “new ideas.”
In the 1970’s, the practice grew to include Severon Buechel, M.D. and Stephen Hiuga, M.D. They continued the philosophy started by Dr. Eichhorn of “Family Centered Obstetrical Care” and were strong advocates of having fathers supporting their partners in the labor room and sharing in the experience of childbirth, which had been considered taboo before this concept of prepared childbirth was introduced to Sacramento by Dr. Eichhorn. Dr. Buechel, Dr. Hiuga and Dr. Eichhorn were active in patient discussion groups to make their entire obstetrical experience more memorable and gratifying. It is because of these tireless efforts that there is still a family atmosphere in our practice. It is quite common for our practice to deliver the grandchildren of patients who were delivered by us a generation ago. Needless to say, it is both a pleasure and a tribute to our practice to be a part of this whole experience.
Additionally, during these early years the three doctors spent hours working with UCD Ob/Gyn residents as well as the UCD family practice residents at Sutter Hospital in their training to inspire and encourage them. Dr. Hiuga volunteered for over a decade as a guest lecturer at CSUS nursing class in their Ob/Gyn rotation and was chief of the Sutter Ob/Gyn Department. As the years passed, it was obvious the practice needed to grow. In 1998, Laurie Gregg, M.D., left her practice at UCLA and joined the team. Since that time, Judy Mikacich, M.D., returned to California and joined the group in 2009 and another native Sacramentan, Kathleen Rooney, M.D., joined the practice in 2015. Davis native Hailey MacNear, M.D., joined in 2018, followed by Davis native Hayley Coker, M.D., in 2019. Michael Chu, M.D., has been practicing in Sacramento since 2004 including as a full time clinical faculty at U.C. Davis Medical Center from 2008 to 2015. He joined our office in 2019.
Each of our seven physicians brings a unique skill set and expertise to the group. Dr. Gregg is the Medical Director for Patient Safety and Quality Improvement for women’s services at Sutter Sacramento and is very active in advocacy for physician wellness within our hospital system and our specialty. She and Dr. Mikacich are also menopause specialists, holding certificates from the North American Menopause Society. Dr. Mikacich additionally has a special interest in pediatric and adolescent gynecology and works closely with the pediatricians, pediatric endocrinologists and pediatric surgeons in the area. She has also worked extensively in reproductive mood disorders, such as PMS and perinatal mental health, and is a past chief of OB/Gyn at Sutter Medical Center. Dr. Rooney has an interest in sexual health medicine, and she and Dr. MacNear brought the innovative Mona Lisa Touch procedure to the office. Our practice includes a strong team of minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons including Dr. Rooney, Dr. MacNear, Dr. Coker and Dr. Chu, all of whom perform surgeries for gynecologic issues with minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Chu also specializes in the treatment of endometriosis, fibroids, chronic pelvic pain and other complex gynecologic issues using DaVinci Robotic Surgery technology. Our practice has evolved over the past 50 plus years to include seven experienced physicians, who together offer the very best in obstetric and gynecological care. Women in the Greater Sacramento area have returned to us for many years, knowing they will be welcomed with open arms into a family atmosphere. We are honored to provide our patients with the highest quality of care available.