HJNO May/Jun 2025

MENOPAUSE NARRATIVE 16 MAY / JUN 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Despite affecting approximately 50% of the menopause population, specialized care remains a significant gap in medical prac- tice, with most women unaware of avail- able treatments and reporting they received inadequate to no support from their med- ical providers. 1 But times are changing. With increased awareness, new research, and growing demand, menopause medicine is at a turning point. However, challenges remain, from outdated misconceptions to an overburdened healthcare system. Let’s break it down: the good, the bad, and the ugly of menopause care today, and why we need to rethink our approach. THE GOOD: A NEW ERA OF MENOPAUSE EDUCATION We’re riding an unprecedented wave of evidence-based menopause education, and it’s about time. Our patients are arriv- ing with more than just Google printouts; they’re asking intelligent questions about treatment options they never knew existed. Remember when hormone therapy was spoken about in whispers like some sort of medical fight club? Take my wife Crystal Burke’s case: She discovered therapeutic alternatives when conventional wisdom was still stuck in the “grin and bear it” era. Growing research on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) shows it can significantly improve quality of life for women during menopause, prompting a shift in treatment approaches. 2 Let’s face it, watching conventional dogma change in the face of overwhelm- ing evidence is like watching a glacier move: slow but surprisingly satisfying. THE BAD: BARRIERS TO ADVANCING MENOPAUSE CARE Want to start a specialty menopause clinic? Prepare yourself for challenges that would make residency seem like a spa day. Even armed with enough peer-reviewed evidence to wallpaper your office, chang- ing established practice patterns feels like trying to convince your attending that their CRYSTAL BURKE, FNP-C Cofounder and Lead Provider The Menopause Clinic With over 15 years of experience in healthcare, Crystal Burke cofounded The Menopause Clinic, a Louisiana- based telehealth clinic dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, and expert care for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Inspired by her background in palliative medicine and her personal journey through perimenopause, she is committed to breaking the silence surrounding this stage of life. Burke has advanced training in hormone therapy and women’s sexual health, ensuring that each patient receives personalized treatment plans designed to restore well-being and quality of life. By leveraging telehealth, she helps eliminate common barriers to care, giving women the time, attention, and education they deserve. STEVEN YOUNGBLOOD, MD Cofounder and Medical Director The Menopause Clinic Steven Youngblood, MD, has been practicing medicine in Louisiana since 2005 and cofounded The Menopause Clinic to address the lack of specialized care for women in perimenopause and menopause. Frustrated by how often this stage of life is overlooked, he pursued advanced training in hormone therapy and women’s sexual health. As medical director, he is dedicated to providing expert, evidence-based care that empowers women with accurate information and effective treatment options. Through The Menopause Clinic’s telehealth platform, Youngblood ensures that women across Louisiana receive the support they need, without the common barriers to care, so they no longer have to suffer in silence.