HJBR May/Jun 2025

MENOPAUSE NARRATIVE 30 MAY / JUN 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   isn’t about hormone replacement therapy at all, but about staying humble enough to rec- ognize that sometimes our patients might be more current than we are. And maybe, just maybe, it’s okay to admit that and learn from them. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some reading to catch up on. About 20 years’ worth, apparently. A PATH FORWARD: MAKING MENOPAUSE MEDICINE A SPECIALTY It’s time to think of menopause medicine as its own specialty, just like we did with maternal-fetal medicine, minus the 3 a.m. emergencies — usually. Consider this: If we wouldn’t expect a general practitioner to manage complex endocrine disorders, why are we asking them to navigate the intricate symphony of hormone therapy? The solution? Establishing clear refer- ral pathways to menopause specialists. This isn’t just about redistributing patient load; it’s about acknowledging that meno- pause care requires dedicated expertise, time, and, yes, perhaps a sense of humor when explaining the difference between hot flashes and power surges. As our patients become increasingly savvy about their options — thanks, inter- net — our medical infrastructure needs to evolve accordingly. Because, let’s be hon- est, none of us went through medical school to tell our patients, “It’s just part of aging,” when we know there are evidence-based alternatives available. This isn’t just about managing symptoms, it’s about revolutionizing women’s health in midlife. And if that means ruffling a few feathers in the medical establishment, well, sometimes that’s just what the evidence orders. HOW PROVIDERS CAN STAY UP TO DATE ON MENOPAUSE CARE Let’s talk about staying up to date on menopause care, or as I like to call it, “How to avoid being schooled by your patients who watch Oprah.” For Patients Remember when celebrities only talked about their latest movies?The conversation around menopause is changing, and, sur- prisingly, celebrities like Oprah, Halle Berry, and Drew Barrymore are helping lead the way. Their advocacy is bringing evidence- based menopause care into the mainstream, making it more accessible than ever. For those looking for science-backed resources, our book, TheMenopause Guide: StraightTalkandSolidScience is amust-read. For Medical Providers Here’s a radical thought: What if we actually read the articles instead of just the abstracts? I heard that collective gasp. I know, I know. Between seeing patients, charting, and trying to remember where you left your coffee, who has time to read full articles? But here are my challenges to you: 1. Start with The Menopause Guide: Straight Talk and Solid Science , not just because it’s a shameless plug, but because its bibliography is a treasure trove of scientific articles that will make you question everything you thought you knew about menopause care. 2. Visit menopause.org , where the expert opinions are actually current, not left- over from when we thought shoulder pads were a good idea. Let’s be honest: Skimming UpToDate between patients isn’t going to cut it any- more. Our patients are watching Oprah while we’re still citing studies from the last century. It’s time to up our game. “Remember how we all thought estrogen was the villain in our medical drama? Plot twist: It turns out it’s more of a misunderstood hero.”