Born and raised in Egelston Township, Muskegon, Michigan, Johnson attended Oakridge High School, where he excelled in multiple sports and was a first-team Associated Press all-state basketball player.
He went on to play point guard at Dartmouth College, earning Academic All-American honors and ranked second for assists in the Ivy League during his senior year.
Following his residency, he became Chief of Obstetrical Anesthesia at Hutzel Hospital of Wayne State University in Detroit, a position he held for six years before being appointed Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1996.
He has studied clinical competence training for anesthesiology residents, particularly in fiberoptic laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation, and he has published research on the effectiveness of epidural anesthesia in improving labor outcomes.
The study findings suggest that structured educational programs can significantly enhance residents' confidence and proficiency in these critical airway management techniques.
[22] He has written about how using both preoperative and intraoperative skin surface warming techniques effectively prevents hypothermia in patients undergoing general anesthesia and surgery.
The article highlights its potential to enhance labor progress and increase the chances of vaginal delivery while also addressing considerations regarding maternal and fetal outcomes.
[24] Johnson has written on the unique cardiovascular challenges and management strategies for pregnant patients, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary care to optimize maternal and fetal outcomes.
It emphasizes that anesthetists must be familiar with a clear management plan for dealing with failed intubation to ensure the safety and well-being of both the mother and the baby during obstetrical anesthesia.
[26] In 1995, while at Hutzel Women's Hospital, Johnson published a study that examined the occurrence of embolic phenomena during revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to compare cemented and cementless techniques.
It highlights the importance of intraoperative monitoring and careful selection of surgical methods based on patient risk factors to minimize embolic complications.
[27] An article by Johnson and Bulleova on pediatric anesthesia for cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology studies reviews the unique challenges and considerations in anesthetizing children for these procedures.
It emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis, thorough history and physical examination, timely evaluation of laboratory values, and a multidisciplinary team approach involving anesthesiologists, surgeons, hematologists, pediatricians, obstetricians, and internists.
Key considerations include choosing an appropriate anesthetic based on the patient's clinical condition and maintaining a safe perioperative environment to avoid acidosis, hypoxia, and dehydration, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality.
[36] Johnson has argued that COVID-19 vaccines, especially the mRNA versions from Pfizer and Moderna, are safe and beneficial for pregnant women and their unborn babies, outweighing any minimal risks.