Why consider a men’s health clinic: Six reasons

Jonathan Henderson, MD, a urologist in a large group practice in Shreveport, LA, says he and his partners have seen the nationwide proliferation of non-urologist, community-based men’s health centers. And they believe, he says, patients are not being properly served.

Because of this, Dr. Henderson says, his soon-to-be 19-urologist group is looking at opening a men’s health clinic.

“If urologists take control [of men’s health], we can offer comprehensive, proper, guideline-based care for men-not just in testosterone replacement but also in other areas of health that men frequently overlook,” Dr. Henderson said.

Dr. Henderson and E. Scot Davis, CEO of Arkansas Urology in Little Rock, presented a talk on “Why Have a Men’s Health Clinic?” at the Large Urology Group Practice Association annual meeting in Chicago. Arkansas Urology has opened five men’s health clinics in Arkansas and Missouri under the Epoch Health brand. Plans are under way, Davis says, to open three more as joint ventures with local physicians in Columbia, MO, Anchorage, AK, and Tucson, AZ.

Davis says there are six reasons urologists should consider launching men’s health clinics:

to develop a referral source for a urology practice

to create an ancillary revenue stream for the urology practice

to better manage existing hormone-deficient male patients

along the lines of the third reason, to free clinical space for more profitable service lines in the urology practice

to compete against what Davis calls “low-T shot-box stores,” which might not be properly managing patients and even causing them harm

to reclaim men’s health from these “low-T” retail centers.

Davis says many urology practices want to get into men’s health but never get the concept off the ground because they lack the time and resources to do it right.

“That’s why a lot [of urologists] get into joint venture arrangements because they can have someone come in and do this for them,” he said.

One of Davis’s top tips is in how to best design a men’s health center. He says Epoch had been through four iterations before achieving its ideal design. What matters most? Patient flow.

“Anything that improves patient flow, so that it’s more patient friendly, is going to do better,” he said.

For more information

Urologists who want to find out more about the Epoch Health men’s health model should contact Steve House, with the development company Anthem Epoch, at 817-239-9801, or Mike Whitfield, with Epoch Health, at 501-920-2241. Epoch Health’s website is www.epochmenshealth.com.