Perimenopause & Menopause
Specialist group medical care and consultation. Virtual, across British Columbia.
Shannon Lockhart, MD, FRCPC · MSCP candidate, 2026
The problem this practice addresses. The menopause transition is under-taught in medical training, under-researched in the literature, and too often attributed to stress or anxiety. Physiological symptoms — vasomotor, cognitive, musculoskeletal, and genitourinary — are frequently ascribed to temperament rather than endocrinology, delaying effective treatment. This practice closes that gap with care grounded in current evidence and explained clearly enough that patients understand why symptoms occur, what the options are, and where the evidence remains uncertain.
Who this is for. Referrals are welcome for women with:
Vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats), including atypical presentations
Sleep disruption, particularly early-morning awakening or non-restorative sleep
Mood changes, anxiety, or irritability
Cognitive changes (reduced focus, memory concerns)
Musculoskeletal symptoms (arthralgia, frozen shoulder, reduced exercise tolerance)
Genitourinary and sexual-health symptoms of menopause
Metabolic or weight changes despite stable lifestyle
Questions about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) — including with a family history of breast cancer or pending genetic testing
Natural or surgical menopause
How care works. Most of your care happens in Group Medical Visits (GMVs): MSP-covered, physician-led sessions offering evidence-based guidance on perimenopause and menopause physiology, presentation, and management — along with the clinical reasoning behind each recommendation.
If the idea of a group visit gives you pause, you're not alone — but it's likely different from what you're picturing. A GMV is education and open Q&A, not a session where you're expected to recount your personal history in front of others. Sharing is 100% optional: you decide what, if anything, you say, and everyone agrees to keep what's discussed in the room private. Many women find that hearing others speak brings real validation and perspective — the reassurance of learning how much of their experience is shared, and questions raised that they'd never thought to ask.
This model is well-established in other areas of medicine. In conditions such as diabetes, chronic disease, and prenatal care, group medical visits have been associated with high patient satisfaction, greater self-efficacy, and clinical outcomes comparable or superior to one-on-one care, with no adverse effects reported.¹˒²˒³ Its use in menopause and women's health specifically is newer: early studies find the model feasible and well-received, with larger trials on clinical outcomes still emerging.⁴
Two foundational sessions are recommended for everyone, each combining education and open Q&A:
Menopause physiology and healthcare context
MHT: options, risks, and benefits
From there, further sessions are tailored to your own experience — because no two presentations are alike. Examples include:
Cardiometabolic health
Bone and muscle health
Sleep
Mood and mental health
Sexual health and intimacy
…and more.
One-on-one consultation
Individual private consultations are available for unusual or complex presentations. They become available after you've completed the first two foundational GMV sessions. This lets us use our one-on-one time efficiently and focus on what's specific to your situation, rather than the broader educational principles, during a private-pay visit. If we proceed, I'll send an intake form in advance so our time is focused. Private consultations are billed at $350/hour, pro-rated to the length of the session.
Reports and recommendations are sent to your referring provider to support shared, continuous care.
Selected references
Housden L, Wong ST, Dawes M. Effectiveness of group medical visits for improving diabetes care: a systematic review and meta-analysis. CMAJ. 2013;185(13):E635–44.
Cunningham SD, Sutherland RA, Yee CW, et al. Group medical care: a systematic review of health service performance. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(23):12726.
Kirsh SR, Aron DC, Johnson KD, et al. A realist review of shared medical appointments: how, for whom, and under what circumstances do they work? BMC Health Serv Res. 2017;17:113.
Gerontakos S, Leach M, Steel A, Wardle J. Feasibility and efficacy of implementing group visits for women's health conditions: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023;23:549.