Jonathan E. Kohler, MD, MA, FAAP

Jonathan Kohler, M.D, M.A., FAAP.'s philosophy of care is that every patient deserves the care that best fits them and their family. He believes that the parents of patients are vital to the care process and to deciding what is right for their child, and always strives to make shared decisions with parents and patients. There is no such thing as minor surgery for a child or their family, and his goal is to help families through what is always a challenging time by providing support, guidance, honesty and reassurance that their child is in great hands at Shriners Children's Northern California.

Dr. Kohler is a pediatric general surgeon who cares for children from birth to adulthood who have a wide variety of surgical problems, using advanced techniques such as minimally invasive surgery. He has a particular interest in pediatric trauma, including ways to reduce the number of injured children who need operations, minimizing opioid use after injuries and operations, and preventing injuries through education and advocacy. He particularly enjoys working with children with special needs, including autism.

Dr. Kohler's research centers on communications between physicians, parents and patients. He is particularly interested in decision making and decision supports for rural physicians managing common pediatric surgical problems, such as umbilical hernias, opioid prescribing, and minor injuries. He has developed a number of connected learning solutions using telementoring, videos and interactive teaching tools to improve communications between primary care providers and specialists, and between doctors and patients.