A Q&A with Renowned Menopause Specialist Elissa Gretz Friedman

Elektra Health is thrilled to have Elissa Gretz Friedman on our clinical team. Elissa is a board-certified OB/GYN and Menopause Society-Certified Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in menopause care. She previously led the Menopause Center of New York at Mount Sinai, and has comprehensive experience working with cancer survivors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We sat down with Elissa to learn more about her experience caring for women throughout her career, and how the landscape has shifted (for better and worse) over the years.

What inspired you to go into medicine? Did you always know you wanted to pursue a career in healthcare?

My father was a very busy OBGYN, and I thought I did not want to follow in his footsteps but I was wrong. I always wanted to attend medical school and as I went through my clinical rotations, I loved that in obstetrics, you are dealing with patients during a happy time in their lives. However, it’s a very difficult field requiring a lot of time away from family, and I did pivot into menopause medicine in my early 40s. I became certified by the Menopause Society around the time the WHI was hitting the press.

You have considerable experience in menopause care, and the landscape has shifted dramatically in the past few years alone. Is there anything you think is missing from the mainstream conversation?

Menopause is obviously having a moment front and center, which is wonderful. However, there is far too much noise with social media. It can be quite confusing for women — they don’t know who to listen to. Many of the influencers preaching about menopause are selling their own products that may or may not have any benefit, or worse, may be harmful.

If women are having symptoms that are concerning to them, they should seek care from a knowledgeable practitioner. A Menopause Society-certified specialist will review their personal health history and symptoms, and make an appropriate plan. Online platforms like Elektra make this expertise available to everyone. Every woman goes through menopause. Every woman’s experience is different. And, hormonal treatment is not safe for everyone.

“Every woman goes through menopause. Every woman’s experience is different. And, hormonal treatment is not safe for everyone.”

You were previously Head of Benign Gynecology at Memorial Sloan Kettering, where you cared for many patients whose cancer treatment made them menopausal. How do you think we can better care for menopausal women with a personal history of cancer?

Thankfully, we have come a long way in cancer care. Many more women are surviving cancer and living a long life. We also no longer treat women without thinking about the long-term consequences of the treatments. Now, women will often meet with a menopause specialist prior to surgery to discuss expectations following their operation.

Another important development is that now, with genetic testing, women are finding out earlier on that they may be at high risk of certain hormonally sensitive cancers. Some may choose to have preventive surgeries that cause them to go through an abrupt early menopause requiring treatment. It’s important for these patients to have a knowledgeable menopause practitioner. The clinical studies that are required to understand hormonally-sensitive cancers are difficult to do and we still have so much more to learn.

What has struck you during your time seeing patients at Elektra?

It is remarkable how personal a telehealth visit can feel. As an online practitioner, I think of myself as part of a patient’s health care team. Since there are very few Menopause Society Certified Practitioners in the US (about 1500 but growing fast), Elektra’s online platform brings us to women that may otherwise have no access to an expert.

What is also important to me practicing at Elektra is that insurance is accepted — including Medicaid — providing access to a group that otherwise may not receive expert menopause care. At Elektra, we practice only evidence-based medicine. We’re not selling any products and therefore we have no conflict of interest. This is all very important to me and to the way I want to care for my patients.

“It is remarkable how personal a telehealth visit can feel. As an online practitioner, I think of myself as part of a patient’s health care team.”

What does life look like when you’re not working?

I enjoy travel, golf, painting, biking, reading and time with my husband, family and friends.
I try to live my life the way I ask my patients to. Primarily, exercise every day is so important.
We have a wonderful rescue dog, Charley, who thankfully pulls me away from the computer and keeps me walking.

Interested in booking a telemedicine visit with Elissa? Get started here >>