As a primary care physician (PCP), you’ll work with patients of various identities, including gender. Accessible, quality medical services should be standard for women and people assigned female at birth, though that’s not always the case.
Fortunately, more resources are available to help you provide comprehensive healthcare for women. Explore our guide for suggestions for improving their next doctor’s visit.
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Encourage Preventative Care
One of the most crucial parts of providing primary care for women is encouraging them to engage in health screenings. You can use annual well visits to discuss preventative measures such as:
Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment
Pap smears
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia screenings
Breast exams
Birth control consultations
Heart disease and cardiovascular condition screenings
Urinary incontinence exams
Osteoporosis tests
Gestational diabetes screenings
PCPs are often the first point of contact for these women’s health cornerstones. You can help manage their well-being by offering support, performing tests or referring them to a specialist.
Provide Comprehensive Screenings for Common Health Issues
Women need comprehensive care for other common concerns outside the preventative sphere. Some of the specific issues PCPs can address include:
Menstrual cycle issues, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
Anemia
Thyroid dysfunction
Menopause and perimenopause
Chronic venous insufficiency
Anxiety and mental health concerns
Sleep disorders
Urinary tract infections
Arthritis
Providers should also be aware of other symptoms, conditions and vaccinations. Your job is to help with gender-specific concerns and sickness, injuries and chronic conditions.
Minimize Barriers to Care
Several barriers can affect women’s healthcare, but you can take steps to mitigate them. Here are some ways to get started:
Eliminate Implicit Bias
When providing care to women, gender non-conforming individuals or people of color, avoid stereotypes and misconceptions about hormones, emotions or health conditions.
Instead, focus on a whole-person perspective that considers symptoms, lifestyle and medical history. Remember, there is no “one size fits all” approach to medical care.
Increase Access to Health Services
Some patients may avoid primary care clinics due to outside factors, including:
Cost
Transportation access
Employment concerns
Family or caregiver duties
You can help support these women by offering home or telehealth visits and implementing financing programs.
Build Relationships With Your Patients
Aim to build rapport and trust with your patients, particularly women. Encourage them to speak up about their health concerns and involve them in treatment decisions.
A positive relationship can help them feel more comfortable opening up, making it easier for you to treat or refer them to a specialist. Additionally, patients who trust you may be more likely to disclose domestic or intimate partner violence.
Broaden Your Education on Women’s Health
While you likely learned about women’s health in medical school, lifelong education can help you expand your knowledge.
Why not use some of your continuing medical education (CME) allowance toward seminars focused on women’s primary care? With topics ranging from menstrual cycle irregularities to thyroid concerns, anemia and breast cancer, these conferences help you learn more about gender-specific treatment and management techniques.