Comments for:

Endometriosis patients deserve access to quality care

Submitter: Heather Guidone | heather@centerforendo.com

Authors: Heather Guidone

Center For Endometriosis Care

Published October 19, 2021

Thank you to Dr Patzkowsky for this article. "Rethinking endometriosis and pelvic pain" illuminates several ongoing, key issues surrounding the disease and highlights several shortcomings which continue to be associated with the two mainstay treatments. That patients "in the United States would benefit from broader access to highly skilled and experienced surgeons specializing in endometriosis" has long been the cornerstone of advocacy surrounding the disease; indeed, there has been a concerted effort for many years (largely driven by patients themselves, who have grown frustrated with the lack of access to quality care and their physicians, who have established themselves as true specialists) to seek formal recognition of endometriosis as a medical subspecialty, to revise the flawed coding and reimbursement issues which remain an absolute barrier to that quality care, and to seek the formal designation of Centers of Expertise in Endometriosis, with teams who are accountable and verifiably skilled enough to address the multidisciplinary needs of patients with the disease. Unfortunately, there remains significant resistance to such efforts at the highest institutional levels, continued heavy reliance upon suppressive medications, and a lack of standardization of quality care. I agree wholeheartedly with the author that "it is time to rethink endometriosis and adapt our practices for the benefit of our patients." In fact, as those of us out here in the trenches have been saying for decades - it is long past time. Many thanks for this insightful article - and may it lead to the critical improvements that remain necessary for better outcomes.