Heidi Sungurlu, DO, FACOOG

The MDVIP Women’s Health Program can enhance primary care medicine, especially for women. The extensive diagnostics performed in the Women’s Health Program cover important primary care areas, including cardiovascular health, stroke, diabetes, hearing, sleep, mobility, fitness and emotional well-being. Couple that with the annual women’s health screenings for gynecology, bone health and hormone testing – and patients can get the best of both worlds in one office.

Whether you are in your thirties or seventies, caring for your health can be nuanced and sometimes complex. At any age, you should be making a concerted effort toward prevention and wellness, and it’s never too late to start. Of course, as you age, your specific health needs change. In your twenties and thirties, you are likely focused on optimal reproductive health and wellness. In your forties and fifties, you’ll want to look at hormones, bone health and pre- and perimenopause. In your sixties and beyond, you’ll want to keep track of urinary tract infections, bone density and cardiovascular issues. But at every stage of life, it’s important to align your female-specific healthcare with your primary care, because there are many areas where the two intersect and can affect the quality of your life.

The MDVIP Women’s Health Program is only for women and focuses on the unique health needs of women. Physicians offering the women’s program are typically gynecologists and offer gender-specific testing, including hormone and bone-health screening as well as pre- and perimenopause services. Patients in both styles of practices receive preventive screenings and tests from the MDVIP Wellness Program, but the specific tests and screenings may be different.

MDVIP makes wellness and prevention easier by providing your physician with innovative tools and technology. MDVIP supports your physician’s practice and seeks to eliminate barriers to a positive healthcare experience. Your doctor will determine whether and how to incorporate these tools at his/her discretion.

Most MDVIP-affiliated primary care practices accept insurance (your physician can tell you whether they accept your specific insurance plan). Your annual fee pays for preventive care medical services that insurance usually doesn’t cover (e.g., advanced diagnostic testing and screenings). Your MDVIP-affiliated physician will continue to bill your insurance and charge copays, co-insurances and deductibles as he or she currently does for other medical services like sick visits.