The Group For Women is proud to offer a brief video introduction to our providers and services on YouTube.

On October 31, Dr. Holly Puritz and her colleagues at Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care hosted Representative Scott Rigell (R-VA) in Norfolk, VA. Congressman Rigell was pleased to see his constituents doing what they do best. Dr. Puritz thanked him for signing the Flores-Maffei SGR Repeal Congressional Sign-on Letter and spoke to him about the next steps and need for his support. She provided him background on how long ACOG has been lobbying for SGR reform and the cost of another SGR patch, rather than a full fix. He learned about private medical practice and the difficulty of being a small business owner as well as a healthcare provider. They also discussed other important issues, including graduate medical education funding and the Affordable Care Act, and their effects on small private practices. After the visit, Representative Rigell said “What a pleasure it was to meet Dr. Puritz and her colleagues at Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care. From the moment we were greeted I was impressed by their warmth, professionalism and concern for their patients. We left with an even deeper understanding of why prenatal care is so critically important, and with practical ideas to help address the challenges facing OBGYN’s.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zXrryphGedw Congratulations to Dr. Puritz, the winner of “The MSV Salute to Service Award”. This award was given to Dr. Puritz for her work on safety and quality improvement to reduce early elective induction statewide. The work was done in collaboration with ACOG, MSV, Virginia Hospital Association and MARCH OF DIMES.

Congratulations – Dr. Crockford on attaining board certification in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. This is a new specialty recognized by The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. www.abog.org See the announcement here: Dr. Crockford announcement

The Group For Women recommends this article for our patients. http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=4c35059c46724a499c1bd3a40&id=c201a95886&e=02f6117c5c

Subject: Holly Puritz on Sentara Blog Talk Radio today! Sentara’s OB Right Program Sentara Today on Blog Talk Radio Show #31 Finale April 25, 2013 Episode Guests: Dr. Holly Puritz, Medical Director of OB GYN Services at Sentara Leigh Hospital and President of The Group for Women (OB GYN) 757-466-6350 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sentara-today-blog-talk-radio

by Barbara L. Kersey, Ph.D.  The year was 1986. I had earned a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy in 1984 and was in my first post-graduate position, “in the trenches” of a local mental health agency. I was ready for a change, having become rundown and somewhat disheartened about the difficulties of agency work. I received a call from Jon Crockford, an OB/GYN physician, asking if I would be interested in coming to work in a medical setting.  I was more than interested and couldn’t wait to talk with him. We chatted for a few minutes and made an appointment to speak face to face in Dr. Crockford’s office.  After that meeting, he arranged for me to meet with all the physicians (at that time, six males) at one of their 7am Thursday meetings. We discussed the possibilities; I knew it made intuitive sense. Women who are seen by their OB/GYN and are in need of mental health care for depression, postpartum issues, marital problems, premenstrual distress, infertility, or hormonal challenges would be much more likely to follow up with a referral to an in-house therapist than to seek help in a psychiatric practice elsewhere. And a practice that specializes in addressing the needs of women would be well served to address their mental health needs as well. We started off with a series of free seminars informing the public and our patients about our new counseling services. On four separate occasions, one of the physicians and I offered loss, women and relationships, and depression. One of the groups of patients we wanted to reach was those who experience pregnancy loss. In addition to our free seminar, I drafted a letter of condolence that went out to patients who experience loss, expressing our concern and letting them know that the practice had expanded its services to include counseling. In addition, I sent a booklet on grief that let patients and their husbands and families know what to expect emotionally in the weeks and months following loss. These booklets have now become routine and a part of the medical protocol. Our counseling services were well received. Within six months of coming on board, I was busy fulltime.  Now, 18 years later the practice includes nine physicians (with four females). The counseling services have been expanded to include a sub-specialty in work with infertile couples and a consulting relationship with both the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine and the New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine. My caseload remains full and now is only open to physician referral. The marriage of mental health care in this medical setting has been a practice success. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to do this exciting work.

Menopause – The Group for Women can help you face these natural changes with grace and strength. When you consult with any of our doctors, we will provide thorough information on hormone replacement therapies available to you, and determine the best course of action for your continued health. Hormone replacement treatments are designed to help you overcome issues associated with aging and menopause, recovery from illness, and problems with sexual drive. Please visit http://menopause.acog.org/ to access the latest issue of pause magazine for information on mid-life women’s health. Please contact The Group for Women today at 757-466-6350 to learn more about menopause and hormone replacement therapies for women and to schedule your appointment.