Q: How long have you performed Acessa and Hologic procedures?
A: I have been using the full range of Hologic procedures for years, including the NovaSure procedure – since residency – and the MyoSure procedure along with the Fluent® fluid management system. Very shortly after I saw the Acessa ProVu system at AAGL in 2018, I got trained and have been using it ever since.
Q: How do you think Hologic’s acquisition of Acessa will benefit providers and patients?
A: Having experienced fibroids personally – I can attest to how this integration will improve the continuum of care for both patients and providers. The Acessa procedure has the potential to help so many women, and the credibility and resources Hologic offers will enable more physicians to get trained on the procedure and drive better payer coverage to break down any barriers that may exist for patients. Hologic will open the door to make Acessa a household name in the GYN world – and with that will come broader benefit to patients and opportunities for physicians to expand their practice.
Q: What excites you about the Acessa ProVu system?
A: In many cases, I’ve found that the Acessa procedure is the treatment option that many patients have been looking for but didn’t know existed. As a minimally invasive surgeon, it checks every box and provides us with a new tool in our toolbox for those patients who have been suffering with symptomatic fibroids but don’t want to deal with the downtime of an invasive procedure. Not only does it offer the quick return to normal life and a small incision, both of which women care about, but it works.
Q: How do you counsel patients on the best treatment for fibroids?
A: Before I can identify the best therapeutic approach, I need to start by understanding the woman’s goal. What is she trying to accomplish? What symptoms are most bothersome? And then we work back from there to find the best treatment that will take care of everything she is concerned about. In many cases, that means performing multiple procedures concomitantly.
Q: What is the benefit to treating patients for fibroids with concomitant procedures?
A: As physicians, our priority is to provide comprehensive care to improve the health of our patients, and for many women that outcome cannot be achieved with just one procedure. For example, if I have a patient coming in with types 0-1 fibroids and type 2 fibroids, I want to make sure I am addressing all of the pathology. This can be achieved by going in with the Acessa ProVu system and MyoSure device all in one procedure. And better yet, if that patient is finished with having kids and her period all together, I can perform a NovaSure procedure to effectively address the bleeding. Three procedures, during one visit ensures that I can treat my patients completely with ease and convenience that I know women are looking for.
Q: How can other providers start integrating concomitant care for their fibroid patients?
A: I think the key is opening our minds to the possibilities to truly treat the whole woman. We are fortunate that we have these advanced technologies that afford us the opportunity to safely and effectively treat multiple fibroid types and problematic bleeding during one minimally invasive case. All we need to do is work with our patients to understand all of their desired outcomes to fashion the tools we have to improve her health and quality of life in the most efficient way possible.