Most physicians are pressed for time due to the realities of the insurance driven practice. With reimbursement decreasing nearly every year, they must see 40 - 60 patients per day to make it work - which in an average workday is 8-12 minutes per patient with the physician.

Dr. Gray does provide full physicals for women including annual PAP smears and breast exams, however they are welcome to stay with their current GYN provider if they prefer. One of the complaints we hear most often from our female patients is that their OB/Gyn physician, and sometimes their Internist does not have the time or the apparent interest to discuss hormone issues, and are frustrated with the standard treatments prescribed. Most physicians do a standard blood panel which looks at 3-5 blood markers and does not adequately assess the problem.

In order to adequately diagnose hormone imbalances, extensive interviewing on symptoms, options for treatment and adjustment of treatment once initiated, takes time. Dr. Gray's practice is set up to give the patient just that - as much of his time as the patient needs. Dr. Gray has been utilizing the ZRT blood spot and saliva test for 2 years, and is able to offer that test at a substantially reduced cost. It assesses 12 markers and gives a more complete correlation to symptoms and recommended treatments. The most important aspect of his assessment however is listening to the patient; asking questions about how they feel, what goals they have for this treatment, what they hope will happen as a result, and what concerns they have about hormone therapy overall.

Once the results of the ZRT test come back, a separate appointment is scheduled for 1 hour to discuss the treatment options, and follow up appointments scheduled over the next few weeks to tweak the treatment to the patient. It is truly an individualized treatment plan for each person that is as unique as they are. Treatment can range from bioidentical hormone creams and hormone supplementation to traditional therapies if those alternatives are found to be ineffective. The bottom line, he listens to what you have to say, and knows that you know your body best.

The results we have seen in our patients have been remarkable, and our patients have been grateful to Dr. Gray for taking such a special interest in this area. He attends continuing education conferences that address hormone testing and current therapies to be sure he stays on the cutting edge of treatment available. Interestingly, he has also found that several men and young adults in his practice have also benefited from this type of assessment. Because treatment requires an overall look at the patient's health and regular follow up, we are unable to offer this test to patients unless they are a member of our practice. If you would like more information, please contact Susan DeVore at 785-0600.