GSM CARE
An Interprofessional Approach to Improving Access to Vaginal Estrogen for Pelvic Health Therapists
Welcome to the GSM CARE, a resource center for participating pelvic health therapists.
GSM Collaborative Access and Referral to Estrogen (GSM CARE) is an interprofessional care pathway designed to improve identification of patients experiencing symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and facilitate timely access to evidence-based treatment, including vaginal estrogen when clinically appropriate.
Pelvic health therapists are uniquely positioned to identify patients who may be experiencing GSM, provide scope-appropriate education, and help connect patients with medical providers for evaluation and treatment. GSM CARE provides a structured approach for screening, patient education, referral, and coordinated follow-up between pelvic health therapists and prescribing clinicians.
This resource center contains the tools and materials to support implementation of the GSM CARE pathway, including the screening algorithm, referral resources, patient education materials, and provider communication tools.
The goal is collaborative, patient-centered care: therapists help identify and educate; Curate Medical clinicians independently evaluate submitted information and make the medical decision regarding treatment or further evaluation.
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Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) refers to a collection of symptoms that can occur during and after menopause, including vaginal dryness, irritation, pain with sexual activity, urinary symptoms, and recurrent urinary tract infections. GSM is highly prevalent but is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. The GSM CARE Protocol provides a structured approach for identifying patients with possible GSM and facilitating appropriate medical evaluation and treatment.
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GSM CARE is an interprofessional screening, education, and referral pathway designed to connect patients with possible GSM to evidence-based medical care. Pelvic health therapists use structured screening questions and provide scope-appropriate education before, with patient agreement, facilitating referral to a prescribing clinician for independent medical review.
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Pelvic health therapists are well positioned to identify patients who may be experiencing GSM because they routinely assess pelvic and vaginal health. Within the GSM CARE pathway, therapists use the screening tool to identify patients who may benefit from medical evaluation, provide education about GSM, obtain patient agreement to proceed, and submit the required information for medical review.
The screening tool does not diagnose GSM or determine whether a patient is eligible for vaginal estrogen. Therapists do not prescribe or determine prescription eligibility. -
A Curate Medical clinician independently reviews the submitted clinical information and determines the appropriate next step. Depending on the information available and the patient's clinical circumstances, the patient may be considered for vaginal estrogen, additional history or a scheduled medical visit, or another appropriate evaluation or treatment pathway.
The purpose of the pathway is to support safe, efficient access to appropriate care while ensuring that patients who need additional evaluation are appropriately escalated. -
The GSM CARE resource center includes the tools needed to support the pathway, including the GSM CARE screening algorithm, referral questions, patient education materials, provider communication resources, and implementation guidance. These materials are intended to support consistent, evidence-informed collaboration between pelvic health therapists and medical providers.
Interested in joining GSM CARE?
Are you a pelvic health therapist interested in collaborating with Curate Medical to help improve access to menopause-informed care?
We’re building a community of pelvic health therapists who are interested in identifying patients with possible GSM, providing scope-appropriate education, and connecting patients with medical care when appropriate.
If you’re interested in participating in the GSM CARE collaborative, we’d love to hear from you. Complete the form below to tell us a little about yourself and your practice. We’ll follow up with more information about the program and next steps.