#305 The Benefits of NP-Led Primary Care on Women's Health

Ravia sits down with Dr. Kate Bykowski to get clear on what nurse practitioners do in Alberta and why Nurse Practioner (NP) led primary care could ease the pressure created by family doctor shortages. We also dig into midlife women’s health, the messy reality of internet and AI medical advice, and what better access to perimenopause and menopause care could look like. •  What nurse practitioners can diagnose, prescribe, and manage in Alberta •  How primary care works as a first entry point and why continuity matters •  The funding and compensation barriers that limit NP-led clinic capacity •  Why patients are arriving with TikTok claims and ChatGPT lab summaries •  Midlife women as an overlooked group in women’s health research •  “I don’t feel like myself” as a common perimenopause concern •  The value of longer appointments and three-month follow-ups •  How the Cycles to Cessation clinic model aims to expand access •  Why demographic-specific research, including for South Asian women, is still missing •  What changed after early 2000s hormone therapy headlines and why individualized counselling matters Tune in weekly on Mondays & Thursdays to TURN it up with Ravia on 97.9 FM or live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.comIG: @theuniversalradio