Special Report: Identifying gaps in care

In the second episode of the Contemporary OB/GYN Special Report series, JoAnn V. Pinkerton, MD, and Jill Liss, MD, MSCP, FACOG, explored the persistent gaps in care for women experiencing vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and identified key areas for improvement in education, equity, and access.

Liss noted that, despite progress in awareness and treatment innovation, recognition and proactive management of menopausal symptoms remain limited. “Many clinicians are still not proactively asking, and women are not bringing this up in their visits,” she explained. She emphasized that inequities persist across socioeconomic and racial lines, with women of color and those without established care relationships facing the greatest barriers to care.

Pinkerton agreed, adding that menopause remains “underrecognized and undertreated,” particularly for women who cannot use hormone therapy, such as those with a history of estrogen-sensitive cancers.¹ She also highlighted the lack of standardized menopause education across medical training programs. “Only 31% of residency programs had a standardized menopause program, and only 29% had any time in a menopause clinic,” she noted, citing 2023 data published in Menopause.² This educational gap, she said, contributes to persistent myths and misinformation.

Both physicians also pointed to the broader economic and societal burden of untreated VMS, including lost work productivity and increased health care utilization. Liss underscored the urgency of improving clinician training, stating, “We’re just so far behind on getting the workforce ready, and there’s lots of work to do there in order to take care of half the population.”

Our Experts:
JoAnn V. Pinkerton, MD, division director, Midlife Health Center, University of Virginia.

Jill Liss, MD, MSCP, FACOG, associate clinical professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Liss has no relevant disclosures to report. Relevant disclosures for Pinkerton include Bayer.

References:

1. Faubion SS, Sood R, Kapoor E. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: Management Strategies for the Clinician. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2017;92(12):1842-1849. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.08.019
2. Allen JT, Laks S, Zahler-Miller C, et al. Needs assessment of menopause education in United States obstetrics and gynecology residency training programs. Menopause. 2023;30(10):1002-1005. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000002234