Dr. Ghayda highlights the UH Cutler Center for Men

In this interview, Ramy Abou Ghayda, MD, MPH, MBA, gives an overview of University Hospitals’ (UH) Cutler Center for Men, which opened last year in June 2023. Ghayda is an assistant professor of urology at Case Western Reserve University and the associate program director of the residency program at UH Urology Institute in Cleveland, Ohio.

Video Transcript:

I think this is a unique place, not only in Cleveland, but around the nation. We're trying to change the health care seeking behavior of men specifically. We know that there's a problem with health care behavior in men––men don't take care of themselves. They try to brush off any symptom that they have until it's too late. They're usually non-compliant with their physician and their medicine they're taking. So, we're trying to create a more inviting space and atmosphere for them to take ownership of their health. Most studies and evidence are showing that women are outliving men. So, we're dying way earlier because of this health care-seeking behavior that's very different. There is a gap in life expectancy between male and female, not only in the US, [but] in any developed and underdeveloped [country,] across all boards. Women are living at least 5 years more than men. So, we have this huge problem. We’re trying to do something about it.

One thing is we’re trying to create an atmosphere in the center whereby men feel at ease, they're comfortable talking to their provider who is specialized in this field. And then they feel at home; they want to come here. There is a pool table. There are people checking them in, checking them out. There is a program that takes care of them, follow-up on their labs; making the whole experience more seamless. So, they have less barriers to go to the doctor or follow-up with their doctor or be more compliant. We have an open channel of communication between our team and them. This is a way that's going to facilitate health care delivery. We know that the traditional health care delivery is not working. We have bad health outcomes; we have a lot of disparities. We're trying at Cutler to change all of this by creating a space that's inviting to patients, more specifically men. We created this program for membership for men who can come here, we have their name, have their information, they have access to us to try to change this problem that we have.

This transcription has been edited for clarity.