A new physician-directed program designed to treat the unique health care needs of men recently opened at Nebraska Medicine’s Village Pointe campus at 110 North 175th St. “Our new Men's Health program is designed to make it easier for men to get the health and wellness care they need,” says Christopher Deibert, MD, a urologist at Nebraska Medicine and co-medical director of the program. “We understand the unique needs of men, no matter what stage of life.”
Dr. Deibert is the only fellowship-trained urologist in andrology and men’s health in Nebraska, specializing in sexual dysfunction, male infertility, low testosterone and erectile dysfunction.
“One of the problems is that oftentimes men do not seek health care until they have issues like low energy, fatigue or sexual dysfunction,” Dr. Deibert notes. “Talking about these issues can be embarrassing to men, but these are problems we discuss with patients every day. We know how to talk about them in a safe and comfortable way.”
More importantly, these are symptoms that may be related to other problems like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, heart disease or sleep apnea, he notes.
“Our approach to treating these conditions and men’s health care overall is unique because we not only treat the symptoms, but we will work to find the source of your problem,” says Dr. Deibert. “We don’t just send our patients on their way with a pill that might temporarily make them feel better, but doesn’t treat the underlying cause.”
For instance, erectile dysfunction may be the first symptom of other underlying problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or atherosclerosis. Symptoms of low testosterone may also be associated with diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea. “Men with erectile dysfunction are four times more likely to develop heart disease in the next decade,” says Dr. Deibert.
The Men’s Health program includes a full health risk assessment and exam as part of the consultation and could include a referral to internal medicine, endocrinology, cardiology and pulmonology. Internal medicine specialist Joel Armitage, MD, works onsite at the clinic. In some cases, immediate referral and treatment may be initiated. “Not all men’s clinics have doctors on site or are readily available for consult and provide health screenings,” says Dr. Deibert.
The Men’s Health program also provides ongoing monitoring to evaluate treatment, prevent complications and ensure our patients are satisfied with treatment results. “Men don’t have to come to our clinic with a complaint,” says Dr. Deibert. “We also want to care for guys who haven’t been to a doctor for a while or whom don’t go regularly.