Dear Patients
It has been a humbling privilege for me to have had your trust and to provide you with medical care through the years. I have thoroughly enjoyed our interactions and our friendships, but I will be retiring from medical/surgical practice on December 31, 2026. I will miss not being able to attend to you professionally after that date. I have arranged for your continued care to be conducted through two of the very best neurosurgeons in our area.
Dr. Elliot Min, a Board Certified neurosurgeon, has joined the practice of my colleague Benjamin Yim, MD, who has been serving this community for many years. Their information follows.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Alameda Contra Costa Medical Society referral service at (510) 654-5383 www.accma.org.
In addition, you may wish to check with your insurance plan and see who participates in that plan; and depending upon your coverage, your choice of physician may be restricted.
Medical Records – our office became a John Muir Community Connect member in 2015 and began using MyChart (Epic EHR software) for all your care through me. Records from Diablo Neurosurgical Medical Group providers can be found in the John Muir MyChart system including the following clinical notes:
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Consultation note
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Discharge Summary note
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History & Physical
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Procedure note
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Progress note
You may submit a request to the John Muir Health Information Department to view other clinical notes in your medical record such as operative reports. Only clinical notes created on or after February 9, 2021 are automatically available in MyChart. To view notes prior to this date, please submit a request to the John Muir Health Information Department.
If you would like to obtain a digital copy of your medical records, please complete the attached medical records release and contact our office. We will assess the following charges for paper chart requests to cover the costs:
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Up to 10 pages - $25
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10 – 20 pages - $50
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20 – 30 pages - $75
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30 – 50 pages - $100
If you would like to have your records transferred to another physician, you must complete the attached form. Please complete and return this form to the address above as soon as possible.
I extend to you my best wishes for your future health and happiness.
Very truly yours,
Terence L. Chen, MD, FACS, FCNS
Further Reading: Drs. Elliot Min and Benjamin Yim introduction
Medical Records Release
Introduction to Golden State Neurosurgery
Dear Patient of Diablo Neurosurgery,
We are Dr. Benjamin Yim and Dr. Elliot Min of Golden State Neurosurgery, and we are honored to be continuing the care of Dr. Terence Chen's patients. We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves.
Over an illustrious career, Dr. Chen has set the standard for neurosurgical care in the East Bay: sound judgment, technical excellence and a genuine personal connection. Those are the standards we hold ourselves to. We know that his patients have come to expect a great deal, and rightly so. We are grateful for the opportunity to care for you, and we will work every day to live up to the trust he has built with you.
Meet your surgeons
Benjamin Yim, MD MHS FAANS is a dual-trained board-certified cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgeon. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree at Albany Medical College, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He completed his neurosurgery residency at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Los Angeles County General Hospital, followed by two fellowships: a CAST-accredited neuroendovascular fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City with Dr. J Mocco, past president of the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery, and an open cerebrovascular and skull base tumor fellowship at Stanford University with Dr. Gary Steinberg.
Dr. Yim treats brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and fistulas, Moyamoya disease, stroke and brain hemorrhages, carotid disease, vestibular schwannomas, pituitary tumors, meningiomas, and brain and skull base tumors, using both minimally invasive (endovascular) and open approaches.
Elliot Min, MD FAANS is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in complex spine surgery. He graduated cum laude from Princeton University and earned his medical degree at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He completed his neurosurgery residency at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, including an enfolded fellowship in orthopedic complex spine surgery with Dr. Jeffrey Wang, past president of the North American Spine Society, and a postgraduate neurosurgical spine fellowship at the University of Miami with Dr. Michael Wang, a pioneer in minimally invasive and endoscopic spine surgery who directs the largest spine fellowship program in the country.
Dr. Min focuses on minimally invasive and motion-sparing spine surgery, degenerative spine conditions, spinal deformity, robotic spine surgery and spinal tumors.
What sets our practice apart
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Modern fellowship-trained specialists. We are the only postgraduate fellowship-trained neurosurgeons practicing in Contra Costa County and at John Muir Medical Center.
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You see a surgeon, every visit. Dr. Chen has always seen his patients personally, and we are proud to continue that tradition. We do not rely on physician assistants or nurse practitioners in clinic. Every appointment is with Dr. Yim or Dr. Min directly.
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Care built around you. We consider each patient's medical history, anatomy, goals and lifestyle to develop a treatment plan that fits them, and we only recommend surgery when it is the right choice.
Your care going forward
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Your records. Because we also practice at John Muir Medical Center, we have access to the medical records and imaging from your care there. If you prefer to have your records sent to another physician, please let us know and we will help arrange it.
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Upcoming appointments. We will make every effort to see you within two weeks. If you have an upcoming appointment or need to be seen, please call our office and we will get you scheduled promptly.
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Insurance. We will do everything we can to make sure your insurance plan is covered. Our staff is glad to answer any questions about your plan.
Contact us
Golden State Neurosurgery
120 La Casa Via, Suite 102
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Phone: (925) 867-1900 · Fax: (925) 867-1901
office@gsneurosurgery.com · www.gsneurosurgery.com
We look forward to meeting you and to carrying forward the care Dr. Chen has provided for so many years.
Warm regards,
Benjamin Yim, MD Neurological Surgery
Elliot T. Min, MD Neurological Surgery