Primary Care EHRs Fail to Capture Extent of Menopause Symptoms

MONDAY, Oct. 7, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Electronic health record (EHR) documentation seen in primary care does not accurately reflect menopause symptom burden, and many women are not getting the treatment they need, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in Menopause.

Mackenzie L. Bevry, Pharm.D., from the Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and colleagues evaluated the extent of menopause symptom documentation in EHRs by primary health care professionals. Menopause symptom documentation was compared to survey results from 229 women reporting moderate or higher vasomotor symptoms.

The researchers report that only 23 percent of participating women had vasomotor symptoms listed in the EHR clinical problem lists, but 60 percent had vasomotor symptoms documented in their clinic notes from the primary care visit. Overall, 6 percent of women reported hormone therapy use for management of menopause symptoms, and nearly 15 percent reported use of nonhormone prescription therapies for vasomotor symptoms.

“This study highlights gaps in menopause symptom documentation in the electronic health record and in treatment of symptoms,” Stephanie Faubion, M.D., medical director of The Menopause Society, said in a statement. “Additional efforts are needed to educate women and the health care professionals caring for them on the importance of identifying and treating bothersome menopause symptoms in the primary care setting.”

One author disclosed ties to Mithra Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharmaceuticals, Scynexis, and Womaness.

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