FEATURE
Text courtesy of MANA | Photos by Meredith Mashburn
New Horizons for MANA Family Medicine and Renaissance Women’s Health
Renaissance Women’s Health and MANA Family Medicine North are announcing a new clinic to better serve residents. The two MANA clinics plan to move to 688 Millsap Road, Suite 101, in Fayetteville this spring. Women’s health and family medicine will be conveniently located in one medical clinic.
The new clinic will occupy the entire first building in Millsap Plaza and offer easy access with convenient parking. The suite is currently being renovated for the two MANA practices. Construction is expected to be finished by mid-April.
The new MANA clinic will feature spacious exam rooms, wide hallways, ADA-compliant restrooms and a convenient laboratory on-site. The two clinics will have separate waiting rooms and patient care areas to maintain patient privacy.
At MANA Family Medicine North, Dr. Al Gordon, Dr. Joseph O’Connell, Dr. Abby Baldwin, Dr. Lauren Thompson, and physician assistant Amanda Elswick provide primary care for adults and children, including wellness and preventive care, chronic disease management and acute care.
Renaissance Women’s Health providers Sarah Highfill, APRN; Dr. Julie Wilkie, FACOG; Amanda Potter, APRN; and Lane Alderson, APRN; are members of The Menopause Society and Hormone Specialists
At Renaissance Women’s Health, Dr. Julie Wilkie and nurse practitioners Sarah Highfill, Amanda Potter, and Lane Alderson provide gynecology and wellness care for women of all ages. All of the providers at Renaissance are hormone specialists and members of The Menopause Society.
Close to Interstate 49 and U.S. Highway 71B, the new location is convenient for people across Northwest Arkansas.
Care for the Whole Family
MANA Family Medicine offers comprehensive medical care for all ages, from children to seniors. Experienced family medicine physicians provide everything from sports physicals and annual wellness visits to management of complex health conditions. With nine convenient locations across Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Rogers, Prairie Grove and Elkins, quality care is always within reach.
“We focus on caring for the whole patient, including mental and physical health,” said Dr. Thompson. Having an annual wellness visit is important for staying on top of your health for all ages and is covered 100% by most insurance plans. During annual wellness visits, your primary care doctor gets to know you and your health history, assesses your health, and recommends age-appropriate health screenings and vaccines. If you have any chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure or diabetes, your doctor may want to see you more often. These maintenance visits support your health and wellness.
Dr. Lauren Thompson examines a patient at MANA Family Medicine
Sarah Highfill, APRN, visits with a patient at Renaissance Women’s Health
Plus, the MANA staff knows that when people are sick, they want to be seen as soon as possible. MANA Family Medicine offers same-day appointments for sore throats, headaches, stomachaches, UTIs, other minor illnesses and minor injuries.
Care for Women
Many women have a gynecologist or women’s health specialist in addition to their primary care doctor for more specialized care. Dr. Wilkie and the nurse practitioners at Renaissance Women’s Health provide care for women of all ages, from the first gynecologic exam through menopause and beyond. They offer well-woman exams, hormone therapy, birth control options and treatment for an array of gynecologic issues.
A well-woman exam includes a pap smear to test for cervical cancer, gynecologic exam, clinical breast exam, age-appropriate screenings and vaccines. It is recommended for women annually and is covered 100% by most insurance plans in addition to a primary care wellness visit.
As hormone specialists and members of The Menopause Society, the providers at Renaissance provide safe, effective, evidence-based care. Perimenopause, or the loss of estrogen, can begin as early as 10 years before menopause, with symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, mood swings, vaginal dryness and less interest in sex. In addition, women may also experience weight gain around the middle, thinning hair and an increased risk for osteoporosis.
Hormone therapy replaces estrogen and progestin, which are lower during menopause and perimenopause, with synthetic hormones prescribed by your medical provider. Hormone therapy by a medical provider is FDA-approved as a first line of treatment for relief of menopause symptoms.