About
Dr. James Chiou is a board-certified Family Medicine physician with experience across acute, urgent, and primary care settings. He earned his medical degree from Universidad Iberoamericana and completed his Family Medicine residency at Larkin Palm Springs Community Hospital, serving patients across a range of clinical environments before founding Presence Direct Primary Care.
Dr. Chiou is passionate about preventing and reversing chronic disease through lifestyle medicine. He focuses on whole-food plant-based nutrition, weight management, mental health support, and community wellness. He brings a patient-physician partnership model rooted in trust, shared decision-making, and mutual respect. His personal health history, including living with a left eye prosthetic and navigating thyroid disease, gives him genuine insight into the patient experience. Dr. Chiou is fluent in Spanish. Outside medicine, he runs competitively, sings in worship, and travels whenever he can.
Education & Training
Medical School
Universidad Iberoamericana
Residency
Family Medicine residency at Larkin Palm Springs Community Hospital
Certifications
Languages
English, Spanish
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Chiou right for?
Dr. Chiou is a strong fit for adults who want a proactive, prevention-focused primary care physician. Patients managing chronic conditions like thyroid disease, diabetes, or hypertension benefit from his lifestyle medicine approach. He works well with patients interested in weight management, nutrition, or mental health support. Spanish-speaking patients will find his bilingual capability especially valuable. His personal health history gives him a grounded perspective on navigating illness as a patient.
Similar Doctors Nearby
Dr. Marga ZarragaMD
chronic stress, anxiety, depression +1 more
Dr. Deborah PalmerDO
Lyme disease, hormone imbalances, respiratory illness +11 more
Dr. Craig SylvesterMD
hormone imbalances, testosterone deficiency, metabolic dysfunction +4 more
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Chiou treats a broad range of conditions common in adult primary care. His clinical focus includes chronic disease management, thyroid disorders, hypertension, diabetes, and mental health concerns. He also provides urgent care, weight management support, and preventive screenings. His lifestyle medicine approach means he works with patients to address root causes, not just symptoms.
Yes, Dr. Chiou holds board certification in Family Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Universidad Iberoamericana and completed his Family Medicine residency at Larkin Palm Springs Community Hospital.
Dr. Chiou practices a patient-physician partnership model centered on trust and shared decision-making. He emphasizes prevention and lifestyle medicine, including whole-food plant-based nutrition and weight management. He draws on his own experience as a patient with thyroid disease and a left eye prosthetic to bring genuine empathy to every visit.
Yes, Dr. Chiou is fluent in Spanish. Spanish-speaking patients can comfortably discuss their health concerns, treatment plans, and medical history in Spanish during appointments.
Dr. Chiou focuses on preventing and reversing chronic disease through lifestyle changes. He emphasizes whole-food plant-based nutrition, regular exercise, and weight management as core tools. He incorporates these principles into his clinical care rather than defaulting to medication as a first step.
Yes, Dr. Chiou lives with a left eye prosthetic and manages thyroid disease. These personal health experiences give him a real understanding of what patients face when navigating illness and healthcare. That perspective shapes how he listens and responds during appointments.
Dr. Chiou performs a range of in-office procedures at Presence Direct Primary Care. These include laceration repair, stitch removal, wart removal, wound care, and abscess drainage and packing. Members avoid unnecessary urgent care or emergency room visits for these common needs.
Yes, Dr. Chiou offers dedicated weight management support, including GLP-1 therapy support and nutrition coaching. The practice offers a specific weight loss support membership that includes nutrition coaching. He takes a lifestyle-first approach, incorporating nutrition and exercise evaluation into weight management plans.
Doctor profile last updated March 21, 2026