Even if you're healthy and rarely
get sick, there are a few medical experts you may want to consider getting to
know. Here’s a list of the five doctors every woman should keep in her contact
list:
Primary Care Physician. Think of
your primary care physician (PCP) as kind of a central clearinghouse through
which all your medical care is managed—even if the care is provided by another
specialist. Your PCP will perform your annual physical, and should focus on
prevention strategies, explains Stacey Rosen, MD, vice president of women’s
health at the Katz Institute for Women’s Health, which is part of the North
Shore-LIJ Health System in New York .
"Depending on your age and your family’s medical history, she will tell
you when you should get a mammogram, a colonoscopy or routine blood work, as
well as discuss lifestyle strategies to decrease the risk of important medical
conditions," she says. "She takes into account your family’s health
history along with your personal medical history. If your family has diabetes,
your primary care physician will keep a close eye on that."
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Dermatologist. The incidence of
melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has been on the rise for the past
30 years, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2014, 76,100 new
melanomas will be diagnosed in the US . Not only will a dermatologist
screen you for skin cancer, but your derm can counsel you on everything from
acne and weird looking moles to stretch marks and cellulite. Frequent skin
cancer screenings may be in order; ask your derm how often you should have a
screening.
Ophthalmologist. Even if you don't
wear eyeglasses or contacts, it's a good idea to see an ophthalmologist every
year. "It’s so important to protect vision, yet we take it so much for
granted," says Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC, FAHA, associate professor of
medicine in the Division of Cardiology at The Ohio State University Wexner
Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. And, she adds, a comprehensive eye exam can
reveal information about your health that extends far beyond your eyes: "I
have had patients referred to me because an ophthalmologist, through an eye
exam, saw signs of hypertension and high cholesterol," she says. "It
is just amazing how much a proper eye exam can tell about your health."
Gynecologist. Your gynecologist
will perform regular pelvic exams and tell you when you should have a Pap
smear, which can detect cervical cancer. She will follow up to make sure you
have had vaccinations for conditions like Hepatitis A and B, and offer advice
on when to get the vaccination for Human Papillomavirus (HPV). You will rely on
your gynecologist for information on the best birth control method for you, and
she’ll also coordinate prenatal care if you become pregnant.
Cardiologist. Heart disease remains
the number one killer of women. "Part of the reason for this is that we
don’t do a good enough job at preventing heart disease," Gulati says.
"Yet over 80 percent of heart disease is preventable." Women should
have a cardiologic assessment regularly, she says, and it should be performed
by a specialist. "By visiting a cardiologist, a woman can make sure that
she has had her cardiac risk assessed and addressed," Gulati says. "A
cardiologist can help clarify both short-term and lifetime risk for heart
disease....Read more and know about your health
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