A new investigation by KFF’s Kaiser Overall health News (KHN) lays bare the sizeable endeavours by non-public equity buyers to acquire about large and lucrative components of the U.S wellness treatment procedure in new a long time. KHN found that non-public equity firms have invested almost $1 trillion as a result of thousands of specials to obtain hospitals and specialised medical tactics through the final 10 years by itself.
The specials, numerous of them unnoticed by federal regulators, normally end result in a ratcheting up of providers’ pursuit of gains – and increased price ranges for sufferers, lawsuits, and issues about high-quality of treatment.
The investments variety broadly and include things like the acquisitions of medical professional procedures, dental clinic administration providers, firms that handle autism, drug habit and other behavioral well being treatment, and ancillary expert services these as diagnostic and urine screening labs and software for health care billing. By way of other offers, corporations tied to private fairness have occur to dominate specialised health care services this sort of as dermatology, gastroenterology, and anesthesiology in particular markets around the nation. All of it has occur on top of greater-publicized takeovers of healthcare facility crisis space staffing firms as effectively as the purchasing up of total rural healthcare facility units.
Federal regulators have been virtually blind to the incursion. KHN identified that a lot more than 90 {fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of personal equity takeovers or investments fell below the $100 million threshold that triggers an antitrust overview by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Office.
Whistleblowers and wounded people, however, have turned to the courts to press allegations of misconduct or other improper business dealings. KHN identified that companies owned or managed by private equity have agreed to pay fines of additional than $500 million given that 2014 to settle at the very least 34 lawsuits submitted beneath the Untrue Promises Act. Most of the time, the non-public fairness house owners have averted legal responsibility.
The latest tale, posted nowadays in United states Nowadays, is aspect of a broader ongoing sequence, “Patients for Financial gain: How Non-public Equity Hijacked Wellness Treatment” in which KHN has examined a huge assortment of non-public equity’s forays into the overall health care technique. They include things like the promoting of America’s best-selling abortion capsule, the institution of “obstetric crisis departments” at some hospitals, investments in the booming hospice treatment marketplace and even takeovers of funeral residences and cemeteries. The series includes a movie primer, “How Private Equity Is Investing in Overall health Care”.
KHN collaborates with many editorial associates, and media shops can publish these and other KHN stories at no charge. KHN also will publish the tales on khn.org and boost them via its social media platforms. KHN journalists also are obtainable for interviews about their tales. News corporations intrigued in working with KHN should really speak to the news company at [email protected], and individuals intrigued in serving to to increase and enhance well being journalism around the state should really get in touch with KFF at [email protected].
About KFF and KHN
KHN (Kaiser Wellbeing Information) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about wellbeing concerns. Alongside one another with Coverage Analysis, Polling and Survey Investigation and Social Effect Media, KHN is a person of the four big operating plans at KFF (Kaiser Spouse and children Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit group providing details on overall health difficulties to the nation.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday afternoon to legalize medical marijuana commencing Jan. 1, 2023, but there are by now threats to challenge the get.
There will be three items of conditions that should be achieved to qualify for medicinal use, Beshear stated:
Cannabis will have to be acquired in the United States of The united states in a point out where the obtain is lawful and regulated. Kentuckians will have to have to continue to keep their receipt.
The amount of money a person can obtain and have at any a single time need to not exceed eight ounces, which is the distinction between a misdemeanor and a felony in Kentucky.
Every Kentuckian must also have a certification from a licensed health and fitness care provider that displays that the particular person has been identified with at minimum a single of 21 clinical conditions. A copy of the certification must be retained.
“You can obtain cannabis to handle a medical affliction in Illinois, and you can use that hashish in West Virginia, but whilst you happen to be traveling as a result of Kentucky, you are a prison,” Beshear said during a news meeting in Frankfort.
Gov. Andy Beshear speaks at a press conference on Nov. 15, 2022.
For Hardin County mother and co-founder of Kentucky Moms for Professional medical Cannabis, Julie Cantwell, it truly is a step in the proper direction.
Cantwell’s son has epilepsy. Cantwell reported at a person position, he knowledgeable up to 200 seizures a working day.
She has invested several years seeking for techniques to deal with and restrict his seizures.
“We tried a neurologist in four states and we experimented with to products, all distinctive sorts of supplements for a lot of yrs, and almost nothing served him,” Cantwell mentioned.
In 2015, Cantwell reported she noticed a exclusive about a girls in Colorado who managed her seizures with CBD. Cantwell reported straight away her husband and herself drove to Colorado for CBD.
“In 6 weeks of him hoping it, he stopped having seizures,” she said.
By 2019, Cantwell said CBD was not as effective, and they started to use healthcare hashish.
“Almost quickly, extremely shortly immediately after, he stopped owning seizures,” Cantwell mentioned. “As of last month, he is been 3 a long time seizure-free of charge working with healthcare hashish.”
Cantwell described obtaining to drive out of condition to access legal, health care hashish.
“We have to risk you know, getting criminals to do just that,” reported Cantwell. “I value what Govenor Beshear is attempting to do, but at the exact same time, I feel like that we continue to have get the job done to do, we even now have to get a regulation passed, we still have to make it lawful for people here at property because a good deal of persons can’t just leave the point out and appear again.”
Whilst Cantwell hopes to broaden its use, it is under dilemma by Legal professional Common Daniel Cameron.
“Time and time again, the governor has tried to bypass the plan-earning authority of the Normal Assembly. Today’s government orders concerning health-related cannabis and Delta 8 are yet another instance of his perspective towards governing,” Cameron reported on Twitter Tuesday. “As normally, he appears to be to relish ruling by decree as an alternative of by the legislation. Kentucky’s Standard Assembly is the sole and remaining plan-generating overall body of this condition and they have to be permitted to have their say. We are reviewing these executive orders to identify next measures.”
Time and time again, the governor has attempted to bypass the policy-earning authority of the Normal Assembly. Today’s government orders regarding health-related cannabis and Delta 8 are one more case in point of his mind-set toward governing. (1/2)
— Legal professional Normal Daniel Cameron (@kyoag) November 15, 2022
“Governor Beshear waited long ample that his crew should have labored on the legal arguments for why they think he one handily has the authority to acquire that action,” said Stephen Voss, associate professor of political science at University of Kentucky.
Voss reported centered on heritage of executive branches placing policies, the order could most likely end up in court to make a decision if Beshear has the authority.
“If the legislative branch chooses to challenge Governor Beshear, legally, they will have an gain, dependent on how these kinds of factors typically participate in out all-around the region,” Voss claimed. “We know that laws relevant to what he did was in the in the assembly, and they chose not to transfer it forward, so there was kind of a an affirmative statement from the legislative department that they ended up not completely ready to go exactly where he went.”
“We do not definitely locate out regardless of whether it is really okay, right up until a decide helps make a ruling,” Voss stated.
Kentucky Point out Rep. Jason Nemes has sponsored a monthly bill to legalize professional medical cannabis in the past. Nemes is significant of the government get, contacting it an “unprecedented electricity grab” that “cannot stand.”
Nemes claims he invites the governor to work with lawmakers to produce a lawful health care cannabis plan.
Beshear reported he’d rescind the government purchase if significant legislation is passed in the House and Senate. In the meantime, nevertheless, he mentioned medical cannabis is an choice to fight drug overdose, something that has plagued the state for a long time with fatal repercussions.
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Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can cause significant pain and stiffness in the spine and other joints. It can also cause fatigue, spinal deformities, and other systemic symptoms.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for AS, but medical treatments are available to help manage symptoms and slow progression. Many people with AS also choose to adopt lifestyle changes or follow natural treatments to control their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
In this article, learn more about natural treatments for AS and the research to support them.
aldomurillo / Getty Images
What Is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
AS is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis. It primarily affects joints and ligaments of the spine but can also affect other joints.
In some cases, the vertebrae of the spine can fuse, causing significant stiffness and restrictions in the spine for bending, twisting, turning, and other forms of mobility.
Symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Symptoms of AS include:
Pain and stiffness in the spine and other joints, such as ribs, hips, knees, shoulders, feet, and ankles
Episodes of low back pain
Fatigue
Enthesitis
Anterior uveitis
Spinal deformities, such as a hunched back
13 Natural Treatments for AS
For various reasons, people choose natural treatments for AS. In some cases, these treatments or lifestyle changes can be more immediately accessible, meaningful, and complement an existing medical approach. About 40{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of people with AS report using one or more complementary treatment approaches.
Stretching Regularly
AS can cause joint stiffness and pain, often leading to reduced mobility, which compounds the loss of flexibility.
Taking time to stretch regularly can help maintain flexibility and reduce pain. Consider the following stretches:
Gentle back stretches
Shoulder rolls
Postural stretches
Hamstring stretches
Deep breathing
Taking Warm Baths and Applying Heat
Using heat therapy can help reduce pain and improve mobility in the joints.
Some examples include:
Soaking in a warm bath or pool
Using a heating pad
Using an electric blanket
Drinking from a hot water bottle
Sitting on heated seats
A physical therapist may use other therapeutic thermal modalities, such as ultrasound.
Doing Cardio and Strength Exercises
Research from 2021 shows that aerobic exercises can help improve AS symptoms and disease activity.
Consider adding cardio and strength exercises to your routine. Some examples include:
Joining a running or biking group
Participating in an AS-specific exercise group
Joining a dance class
Doing body-weight exercises
Practicing Good Posture
AS can lead to a hunched back posture in some people due to joint fusing. This can eventually lead to poor balance, loss of core strength, and risk of falls and injury.
Postural exercises can help maintain a healthy spinal curve for as long as possible. Consult with a physical therapist for postural exercises tailored to you.
Trying Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that involves pricking thin needles into specific points along the body to restore energy flow.
Many people with AS find benefits from acupuncture, although evidence at this time is lacking. However, multiple systematic reviews (the highest level of research) on the effectiveness of acupuncture on AS are underway.
Moving Regularly
Getting regular, consistent movement may be helpful for those with AS. When you sit still for too long in a car or at a desk, for example, you may feel your spine and other joints freeze up and get more painful and stiff. Take time to stretch your neck, shoulders, and spine, and take walking breaks.
Performing Deep Breathing Frequently
For some people, AS can make it harder to breathe. This is due to spine curvature and stiffness as well as inflammation and stiffness in the ribs.
Research shows that practicing breathing exercises can help maintain your rib, chest, and mid-back mobility, reduce pain, improve respiratory function, and improve overall function in people with AS.
Being Aware of Your Sleep Posture
Your sleep position could be contributing to your AS pain. Think of the number of hours you sleep per night and the position you hold; many people sleep on their stomach or side, twisting or compressing their spine, which could aggravate their joint pain.
For AS, it is recommended to sleep on your back and maintain a neutral spine position with its natural curves.
Looking Into Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is a natural treatment option for AS. It can relax muscles around stiff or fused joints, improve mobility, and help you feel calmer and more relaxed.
Around 30{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of people with AS who use complementary treatments report having regular massage therapy.
Using Cold Packs
Cold can reduce inflammation and swelling. If you are having an AS flare with low-back pain, using a cold pack may help reduce some of the inflammation.
Always use cold packs over another fabric, not the bare skin, for no longer than 20 minutes.
Quitting Smoking If You Haven’t
If you have AS and you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do to manage your symptoms. One 2019 study of AS patients found that quitting smoking significantly improved their quality of life, AS disease activity, and mobility.
Considering TENS Therapy
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) units are available over the counter and are popular in treating various types of chronic pain. Some people use these to help with AS-related pain, although research does not support their effectiveness.
Practicing Yoga and Other Balance Exercises
Yoga, Pilates, and other balance exercises may be helpful to those with AS, although there is minimal supporting research at this point. These types of exercise use a combination of stretching, strengthening, and balance control, as well as relaxation techniques.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Prescription Medication
In addition to natural treatments for AS, your rheumatologist and other healthcare providers will likely recommend medical treatments as well. Some common OTC and prescribed treatments for AS include:
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy can be beneficial for AS symptoms as well.
Vitamin D
People with AS generally have lower vitamin D levels than healthy people without AS. Research has also found that vitamin D deficiency among those with AS is linked to a higher risk of death from any cause.
However, the exact relationship between vitamin D and AS is unknown, and the benefit of supplementing with vitamin D has not been well-studied regarding AS. If you have AS, you should discuss vitamin D supplements with your healthcare provider.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated acids found in certain fish, nuts, seeds, plant oils, and supplements. Their inflammation reduction benefits have been studied regarding types of arthritis, including AS. Try to eat a diet with plenty of natural omega-3s and discuss supplementation with your healthcare provider.
Curcumin
Curcumin is a chemical found in the turmeric plant, a bright yellowish-orange substance used to flavor foods and color products. It’s also shown to lower inflammation in arthritis and other conditions.
If you are interested in supplementing with turmeric, talk to your healthcare provider first, as there can be side effects and contraindications.
Summary
Some people may pursue natural treatments for ankylosing spondylitis to complement their existing medical treatments. While there is often less evidence to support these natural treatments, many people with AS report using at least one and finding benefits. Massage, stretching, exercise, breathing techniques, and more can help you feel better with AS.
A Word From Verywell
Ankylosing spondylitis can affect your quality of life and make mobility more challenging. Natural treatments for AS may give you back a sense of control and allow you to actively participate in your treatment plan. Be sure to collaborate with your healthcare providers when you start any new treatment or make any major lifestyle change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ankylosing spondylitis be reversed naturally?
AS cannot be cured. However, some natural treatments, such as specific exercises, stretches, massage, heat therapy, and more, can improve symptoms and reduce disease activity.
Are medicinal herbs good for ankylosing spondylitis?
You should discuss medicinal herbs for AS with your rheumatologist before taking them to review any possible side effects, interactions with medication, or contraindications. There is minimal research to support the value of medicinal herbs for AS; however, there is one ongoing study into the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese medicine Yanghe decoction (including rehmannia,Cinnamomum cassia, Semen Brassicae, charcoal of ginger, and other herbs) for AS.
Is there a cure for ankylosing spondylitis?
There is no cure for AS, but many medical and natural treatments are available to reduce symptoms, slow progression, and maintain quality of life.
Which is the best diet to manage ankylosing spondylitis?
There is no specific diet for AS, although some low-level case studies have found benefits from anti-inflammatory (no gluten, dairy, or refined sugar) diets. Maintaining a healthy weight with AS is also beneficial in reducing pressure on joints.
Do you ever speculate how stars shed excess weight and get stomach muscles within a couple of months? Does observing a facet-by-side comparison of their body transformation helps make you scratch your head and ponder, “Can I do this also?” Properly, allow me break it to you, a lot of of us do the exact. And, just after likely through a couple of phases of physique transformation with the assist of some celeb-authorised physical fitness strategies, I can say that it is achievable. With the right eating plan, work out regime and some dedication, you too can get abs like your favourite stars.
To make issues much easier for our visitors, we have outlined some conditioning ideas that are endorsed by both celebs and professionals under. Just take inspiration from the stars and commence your fitness journey currently. Remember, it really is never too late to start living a nutritious lifetime.
John Abraham


John Abraham commences his daily workout with a 15-moment cycling session to burn off energy. He also jogs and operates on a typical basis to reinforce his leg muscles. On chest working day, he does workout routines like bench press, machine fly, kettlebell upper body press, and incline dumbbell press among many others. For stomach muscles, he does pull-ups, seated row, deadlift, planks, crunches, jackknife, and many others. For leg’s day, he likes to do lunges, squats, leg curls, leg press, calf elevate and bridge. Intense exercise, appropriate sleep, a well balanced food plan and holding the thoughts new are John’s tricks to healthy living.
Janhvi Kapoor


Janhvi Kapoor does yoga, pilates, Zumba and many other forms of exercise routines in a 7 days. She also tends to make headlines pretty much every single day for her gym appears to be like. When she heads out of Mumbai for shoots, she compensates for her skipped work out sessions with actions like jogging, swimming, and so forth. Her greatest exercise solution is to attempt out new functions and health and fitness routines to get the ideal form. Carrying out just 1 type of physical fitness software will not provide the outcomes you wish to obtain.
Tiger Shroff


According to the Guardian, Tiger Shroff loves to combine distinctive procedures in his exercise sessions. From cardio to martial arts, he enjoys to do it all. The actor concentrates on activities like gymnastics to maintain and increase his versatility and also does weights to construct muscle mass. He is effective out 7 times a 7 days and each and every session goes up to pretty much 2 hrs.
Disha Patani


Disha Patani likes to exercise twice a working day. The actress starts her working day with some cardio, then she tactics kickboxing and gymnastics. She also engages in body weight training as soon as a working day. Like Tiger, Disha also attempts to incorporate various work out regimens in one particular.
Dwayne Johnson


According to Healthline, The Rock commences his exercise routine with 30 to 60 minutes of cardio. He spends about 1.5 hours executing power coaching. His major exercise top secret is that he generally follows a exercise session plan that is customized to his personal practical experience, goals, health level, and preferences.
Jessica Alba


Actress, entrepreneur, and mother of a few Jessica Alba Alba prioritizes a steady exercise schedule and nutrient-packed eating plan system to maintain her likely. To stay wholesome and match, she swears by HIIT workout routines, Pilates, plant-based foods, and some downtime as properly.
Anne Hathaway


Anne Hathway utilized to adhere to distinctive fitness routines for different roles. In accordance to the have to have of the character, she switches her work out regime, if necessary. When she is not performing on a movie, she likes to maintain her workouts significantly less hectic. Her greatest health and fitness secret is to get the job done out in the morning. Then she also likes to give additional focus to warm-ups. Be it Bikram Yoga or HIIT, she attempts new workout routines and health and fitness programs often.
Nov. 15, 2022 (Astoria, OR) — Clatsop County has place jointly strategies to hold oneself and liked ones healthy this Thanksgiving season.
“We want to make certain you and your liked ones are harmless, delighted, and healthful all through the getaway year,” reported Lucas Marshall, environmental wellbeing supervisor.
Avoid Meals Poisoning For the duration of the Holiday seasons
Taking pleasure in meals with relatives and mates is one of the highlights of the holiday year. Effortless, secure food items dealing with techniques assist protect absolutely everyone from having unwell while taking pleasure in meals.
Observe these strategies to enable avert meals poisoning throughout the vacations.
Clean your fingers.
Meat, hen, turkey, seafood, and eggs can have microorganisms these kinds of as Salmonella and E Coli. Use a meals thermometer to make sure these food items have been cooked to a safe inner temperature.
Bacteria can increase quickly in the “danger zone” involving 40°F and 140°F. Keep hot foodstuff hot and chilly food chilly. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable foodstuff inside 2 hours.
Quite a few vacation favorites comprise raw eggs, including eggnog, tiramisu and hollandaise sauce. Always use pasteurized eggs when producing food items with raw eggs.
Do not taste or take in raw dough or batter that is intended to be baked or cooked.
Thaw turkey in the fridge, in a sink of cold h2o (modify the drinking water each and every 30 minutes) or in the microwave. Keep away from thawing foods on the counter.
Scorching tub security suggestions
Men and women frequently travel throughout the vacations and take time to relax. If paying time in a incredibly hot tub is element of your plans, there are some points for you to know.
Ailment from taken care of pools and very hot tubs was joined to a lot more than 27,000 infections and 8 fatalities in the United States amongst 2000-2014.
When very hot tubs are not taken care of perfectly, their moist surroundings is the fantastic breeding ground for microbes. Sizzling tub users can just take extra ways to assist in preserving by themselves and their households.
Incredibly hot tub policies for secure and healthier use.
Do not enter a hot tub when you have diarrhea or are unwell.
Do not swallow sizzling tub h2o or even get it into your mouth. If you do, spit it out.
Shower or bathe with soap right before moving into the scorching tub.
Don’t enable kids less than 5 decades of age use warm tubs.
If expecting, talk to a health practitioner ahead of hot tub use.
Right before Having into a very hot tub, examine the following:
A nicely-chlorinated scorching tub has very tiny odor. A sturdy chemical odor implies a maintenance trouble.
Incredibly hot tub devices makes sound and you really should listen to pumps and filters jogging.
Scorching tub h2o temperature ought to not exceed 104°F.
Take a look at for incredibly hot tub drinking water quality using hot tub check strips.
The term “women’s health” tends to conjure images of gynecology offices, hospital maternity centers or other facilities focused on women’s reproductive health.
But at the Novant Health Women’s Center in Charlotte’s SouthPark area, you can find neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary and cardiology clinics tailored specifically to women.
The center also includes traditional women’s services such as a sexual health clinic, an ob-gyn practice, breastfeeding support and mammography, all housed in a spa-like setting with soft white light fixtures with undulating curves, eye-catching artwork and other feminine décor.
Meanwhile, Charlotte’s other health care giant, Atrium Health, recently announced its plan to open its own suite of women’s health services just down the road, in a space formerly occupied by an Atrium urgent care center.
The fact that the two competing health care giants will soon offer health services targeted at women within a mile of each other underscores the importance of this market, both in Charlotte and across the state, said William Brandon, a professor emeritus of health policy at UNC Charlotte.
“The clinical differences between men and women are now much more widely recognized,” Brandon said, “and that certainly makes for a great marketing niche.”
While the trend may serve a hospital’s marketing goals, experts say it’s also an important and long-overdue recognition of the many ways that women’s health needs differ from men’s.
A one-stop shop for women
The 36,000-square-foot Novant women’s center, which opened in 2020, is designed to be an integrated center where physicians of different disciplines can work together to meet a woman’s health needs, said Stephanie Appling, women and children’s service line leader for Novant Health.
The women’s center occupies the fourth floor of a larger medical building. Appling hopes to expand to other floors, perhaps by adding women’s dermatology and family practice clinics.
Appling said she wants the center to be a “one-stop shop” where women at different life stages can access care.
“We want women to be with us from start to finish,” she said. “Women have so much they’re already managing and taking care of, so we wanted to make it easier.”
Novant Health women’s center features neurology, heart and pulmonary services. Credit: Michelle Crouch
Other systems expanding services
In other states, hospitals have opened stand-alone women’s health centers dedicated to all aspects of health care for women.
So far, the Novant center appears to be the most comprehensive facility dedicated to women’s health in North Carolina, but other hospitals have started offering more gender-specific health services.
Duke also has a Women’s Cancer Center in Raleigh and is developing a Female Athlete Program in its sports medicine department, a spokeswoman said.
Atrium’s plans include opening a women’s sexual health practice and its first women’s cardiology program in the former urgent care center space in mid- to late 2023, said Suzanna Fox, service line leader for women’s care at Atrium Health. Also being considered: women’s physical therapy or a menopause clinic.
“We have people that are really good at menopause, but I’d love to expand that into a true menopausal center,” Fox said. “That is probably one of my next priorities.”
Why sex-specific care?
Men’s and women’s bodies are obviously different, yet the medical field ignored those differences for decades. Clinical studies were conducted by men, on men. Researchers worried that women’s varying hormone levels would affect their data, so women were left out of clinical trials for most of the 20th century. It wasn’t until 1993 that federal law required their inclusion in research.
As a result, women historically have been underdiagnosed and undertreated, said Katie Schubert, president and CEO of the Society for Women’s Health Research, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.
“There was this idea that women are just small men, so if you extrapolate your results out, then whatever treatment or disease you’re studying, you can apply to the whole population,” Schubert said.
“Now we know that not to be true.”
The latest research shows that men and women often experience the same disease in different ways. For example, it’s well-established that symptoms of heart disease in women are different than they are in men. Female life transitions such as pregnancy and menopause can also affect heart health.
Treatments may also work better for one sex compared with another or have different side effects. In addition, some conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis affect women in far greater numbers than men.
The waiting room at the Novant Health Women’s Center in Charlotte’s SouthPark area features cozy furniture, pastel colored art and soft lighting. Credit: Michelle Crouch
How gender makes a difference
Gender differences affect just about every medical specialty. Take neurology, for example.
Women get migraines four times more often than men, while men get cluster headaches more often, said Megan Donnelly, head of women’s neurology at Novant.
Women’s headaches are often related to hormonal shifts that occur during menstruation or when they get close to menopause, Donnelly said.
“We risk missing things if we don’t think about the sex differences,” she said.
Donnelly said she works closely with the ob-gyns in the Novant women’s center, and they send many pregnant patients down the hall to her clinic. A pregnant woman with a migraine is at greater risk of having a serious underlying issue, Donnelly said.
Sex-specific differences also come into play in sports medicine, said Kendall Bradley, an orthopedic surgeon in Duke Health’s sports medicine department.
The department is developing a female athlete program that will take into account the anatomical and hormonal factors that play a role in the likelihood of injury for women, she said.
“We are not only focusing on the injuries women tend to get more of, like ACL tears, but we are also looking at having a multidisciplinary team that addresses all facets of women’s heath related to sports,” Bradley said. “We have a nutritionist, primary care, sports medicine and a physical therapist whose area of focus is also on women.”
Women: the big health care spenders
Offering a suite of sex-specific specialties in one location is important for capturing female patients who are often pressed for time, said Tina Marsh Dalton, an economist at Wake Forest University who studies health policy. “You can just refer a patient down the hall,” she said.
Health care systems want to attract women because studies show women make 80 to 90 percent of the health care decisions for their families, Dalton said.
Women also spend more on medical care than men over their lifetimes, in large part because they have babies (pregnancy and labor/delivery is care-intensive and expensive) and they live longer.
Of course, the women that health care systems most want to attract are those who can afford care, Brandon said.
So perhaps it’s not surprising that the Novant women’s center and Atrium’s planned cardiology program and sexual health clinic will both be located in Charlotte’s SouthPark area.
“SouthPark is right in the heart of affluent Charlotte,” Brandon said, “so they are targeting women who are in a position to pay for care or who have great health care coverage.”
And the clinics’ proximity to one another also reflects another reality: the fierce competition for patient dollars. Brandon noted that health care systems generally don’t like to let a rival have a monopoly in any one area or specialty.
“It’s certainly the case that where one builds a health care facility, another follows very closely,” he said. “They tend to track each other rather than move into unserved areas.”
Correction: This story originally stated that Dr. Fox’s first name was Suzanne.The story also originally stated that women got cluster headaches more often than men.
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by Charlotte Ledger, North Carolina Health News November 14, 2022
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1143400985-6a05a69602384d71bc70c27a2f927296.jpg "13 Ankylosing Spondylitis Natural Treatments")
