Women’s Health Consultations

Raising the Standard of Care for Women

To further our mission of elevating healthcare for women, Eileen West, MD and Associates is pleased to offer women’s health consults for those who are not currently members of our practice.

Eileen West, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician trained in women’s health. Dr. West believes in the importance of caring for women through a holistic approach based on lifestyle assessment and prevention. Her women’s health training allows for additional focus in areas such as menopause medicine, sexual health, breast cancer risk assessment, and gynecology.

Menopause Treatment and Perimenopause

Menopause is often a difficult time for women, and unfortunately, menopause management is under-addressed in today’s healthcare setting. Common issues resulting from the loss of ovarian hormones, especially estrogen, include:

• Hot flashes
• Sleep disturbances
• Mood changes
• Weight gain and changes in body fat distribution
• Skin problems

Many women are also fearful of hormone therapy due largely to concerns of increased breast cancer risk. Many primary care providers may be reluctant to prescribe hormone therapy due largely to a lack of understanding of the current data suggesting benefits for menopausal women. As a result, many women suffer in silence with untreated symptoms or, alternatively, seek care in non-traditional practices and receive therapies that are not FDA-approved. Dr. West and Ms. Medicine are committed to an evidence-based approach for managing menopause symptoms.

Sexual Health

One of Dr. West’s areas of focus is sexual health. She is passionate about raising the standard of care for women and advancing evidence-based sexual health care across the lifespan of all women.

Sexual health issues are extremely common in women, yet women often remain untreated. Patients and clinicians alike are uncomfortable addressing the sexual health concerns of women. In addition, many primary care physicians lack sexual health training and do not have enough time during visits to adequately address sexual health concerns. Dr. West and Ms. Medicine are committed to addressing these issues.

Each consultation includes a comprehensive visit/exam that allows time to address a variety of issues, including sexual pain, menopause-related sexual dysfunction, low desire, and sexual dysfunction related to cancer treatment. Additional follow-up appointments are available as needed.

Osteoporosis

Women are more commonly affected by osteoporosis than men. In fact, statistics show 1 in 4 women aged 65 and older will develop osteoporosis. With a focus on osteoporosis management and bone health, Dr. West works with patients on lifestyle, prevention, and management methods when it comes to health issues and concerns related to this disease.

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment

It’s time to change the conversation from detection to prevention. Mammograms detect cancer, but we now know so much more about ways to reduce a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

Women are aware that screening for breast cancer with an annual mammogram is important, and most women check the box off their annual mammogram and forget about their risk of breast cancer for another year. But an annual screening for breast cancer versus understanding the personal risk of developing breast cancer are two vastly different things.

Dr. West uses breast cancer risk assessment tools to determine an individual woman’s risk of breast cancer and compares that risk to the average risk of breast cancer for a woman the same age in the population. She then develops a plan for risk reduction with appropriate screening.

There are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. The first step is understanding your own individual risk.

Cancer Survivorship

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer, you know that recovery looks different for everyone. Cancer survivors benefit from comprehensive healthcare, which requires time not typically allotted in traditional primary care settings. As survivors recover, it’s incredibly important that they work with a physician who can help address the unique health and wellness needs of cancer survivors.

Consults include a comprehensive evaluation, including late-term effects of cancer therapies (chemotherapy, radiation, and drug therapy) and breast cancer risk assessment. The focus includes identifying opportunities for improved wellness, appropriate screenings, and late consequences of cancer treatment therapies. Additional 30-minute follow-up appointments are available as needed.

Fees

Specialty consults for non-members are an investment of $750 for an initial two-hour consult. The consult includes 30 minutes with our nurse and 90 minutes with Dr. West. Follow-up visits are billed based on time: 60 minutes for $550 and 30 minutes for $350. You will receive a receipt for payment, which in many cases may be submitted to your insurance company as an out-of-network expense. Alternatively, patients may be able to apply consultation fees to their HSAs. Laboratory blood draws (if needed) are collected in the office for an additional $20 fee and sent to Labcorp. They may be billed directly through your insurance company, while a reduced cash rate is offered at the practice.

Interested in becoming a member of my practice? Let’s meet and get to know each other! I’m currently accepting new members and welcome patients aged 16+ from across Northern Virginia and the D.C. Metro area, including Fairfax, Falls Church, McLean, Reston, and Arlington, VA. Schedule a Meet and Greet here.

Schedule a Meet & Greet

Practice Offerings

• Concierge Medicine
• Women’s Health Consultations
• Primary Care Consultations
• COVID Testing Options

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