Interview with Dr Amy Pearlman Pt.1

A Discussion with Dr Amy around Mens Health

 

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Interview with Dr Amy Pearlman Pt.1

  • Building a medical business from scratch.

  • Adapting to an ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

  • Leveraging digital platforms for global connections.

  • Ensuring top-notch patient care.

Business & Practice Management

Dr. Pearlman, operating a successful practice in urology and men's health requires not only medical expertise but also business acumen. Can you share some of the key challenges you've faced in establishing and running your practice?

Building a business from scratch, with no baseline business education, has been challenging! I’ve had to learn what it takes to build a proforma, obtain insurance for various aspect of the business, create and evaluate monthly budgets, create a human resources handbook, develop a practice playbook, and reevaluate our business in real time and make changes to our business, also in real time. I’m so fortunate that I get to work with my twin sister, who I can also proudly say has become my rockstar business partner!

The healthcare landscape is continuously evolving, with new technologies and patient expectations. How do you ensure that your practice remains at the forefront of patient care while also being economically sustainable?

I recently became very active on the LinkedIn digital platform. In a short period of time, I’ve been able to meet with people from around the world who have complimentary expertise in the sexual medicine and hormone space.

These companies offer innovative therapies that may serve as adjuncts to care I provide my patients. Learning about these new and exciting products and being able to discuss them with my patients has allowed me to remain at the forefront of patient care.

The foundation for my practice also allows me time to meet with each patient and discuss all treatment options. Many of my visits are 30 minutes to 60 minutes, which allows me enough time to discuss the traditional as well as innovative therapies.

General Men’s Health

In your private practice, what are the most common health concerns or issues that men present with? Has there been a notable shift or trend in these concerns over the years?

My practice at Prime Institute focuses on providing non-surgical and surgical options for male sexual, hormonal, and genital health. This includes sexual/erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s, buried penis, and low testosterone. Notably, a person doesn’t need to have a dysfunction or problem in order to benefit from meeting with someone like me. Even if a person wants to learn about their sexual or hormonal health and options for lifestyle changes to optimize their health, they may benefit. I also offer vasectomies for those no longer interested in having biological children, as well as penile girth enhancement.

In recent years, there has been a notable shift in my field towards regenerative therapies to treat erectile dysfunction. Focused shockwave therapy is the main treatment option with evidence that now supports its use for men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction due to blood vessel issues. There are also safe options now for penile girth enhancement. I offer girth enhancement with hyaluronic acid, which has been shown to be an effective, semi-permanent, and safe option for men. This is a very exciting time right now for the field of sexual medicine with the influx of innovative, safe, and effective solutions.


Given the vast array of concerns in men’s health, are there any conditions or issues that you believe don’t receive as much attention as they should?

Yes! Penile rehabilitation programs for men no longer getting regular erections (which can happen for a variety of reasons including heart disease, diabetes, recent treatment for prostate cancer) are not commonly discussed but may be very helpful to reduce penile size (length and girth) loss over time.


As a female urologist in a field that often deals with male patients, do you find that your perspective brings a unique approach to patient care? How do patients typically respond to this dynamic?

There will always be advantages and disadvantages when it comes to being a woman in a men’s health field. When I meet with my patients, I am asking questions to truly understand their concerns. What I’ve learned over the last several years, however, is that while men and women are different in many ways, we are also very much alike, especially when it comes to sexual and hormonal health.

There are also a lot of men who, for whatever reason, just prefer seeing a female healthcare provider. I have no doubt there are an equal amount of men who would never see a female healthcare provider, particularly when it comes to men’s health concerns. Fortunately, the providers with expertise in men’s health are quite diverse and, my hope, is that each patient will be able to meet with a healthcare provider with whom they feel comfortable meeting (and for many patients, gender, age, race, religion may play an important role in the provider with whom they feel most comfortable). I take no personal offense to patients who prefer to see a male provider.