SAND / February 2012 / Hooked on Improving Women’s Health

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Hooked on Improving Women’s Health

Dr. Diana Hoppe’s Hip Medical Career has an Old Fashioned Twist

Although a childhood love of animals led a young Diana Hoppe to initially consider a career in veterinary medicine, it was her work at a women’s health clinic, during undergraduate school at University of California Berkeley, that opened her up to her true calling as a Medical Doctor specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Today, as a highly respected, board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist, whose private practice is in Encinitas, Hoppe relishes every opportunity to provide women’s health care and wellness solutions tailored to individual needs. “From my first introduction to reproductive physiology and my experience as a contraceptive counselor, I knew I was hooked on women’s health and wanted to go to medical school. I saw a need for female OBGYN’S because there were few women in the medical profession in the late 1980s,” says Hoppe.

Hoppe, a national and international speaker as well as a published author of clinical trials in the field of women’s health, is actively involved in women’s rights issues for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and for the House of Delegates with the California Medical Association. She also serves as the Medical Director for Aesthetically Pleasing medical spa in Encinitas, and functions as the Medical Director/Principal Investigator of Pacific Coast Research Center, a medical research center that conducts international clinical research trials in the field of women’s health, including menopause, peri-menopause, and libido. She has also been a primary investigator involved in an international clinical trial for new medications to treat Hypoactive Female Sexual Desire Disorder.

After many years of delivering babies, who Hoppe confesses make their grand entrance in the earliest hours of the morning, she gave up the obstetrics aspect of her practice to pursue the goal of writing books as well as other facets of her medical career.

“I’ve always appreciated the diversity of my career and that the very nature of it gave me many opportunities to establish so many meaningful long-term relationships with my patients. Many of them have been with me through the seasons of their lives as teenager, young adult, and mother. I’ve even seen a few through to perio-menopause,” quips Hoppe, who founded the online community ListenToYourLibido.com and specializes in perio-menopause and menopause issues. She discusses these issues in her book Healthy Sex Drive Healthy
You: What Your Libido Reveals About Your Life.

Hoppe’s philosophy of patient care closely resembles a working partnership. “My patients and I work together for a common goal—their optimum health. I consider my job that of a guide and educator, who walks them through a decision-making process that revolves around how they can make the best choices for their care,” explains Hoppe. Keeping up-to-date on the latest methods of birth control as well as bio-identical hormone replacement therapy allows her to share valuable information regarding any risk factors and choices that most suit her patient’s needs. “I encourage my patients to read and do their own research about how lifestyle changes can impact their health so that they feel comfortable asking me questions that lead us into important dialogues,” notes Hoppe.

Until 2011, Hoppe ran a large medical practice. “I stepped away from seeing a volume of people every day to open up a smaller office that would give me more quality time with patients,” advises Hoppe. “A breast exam, pap smear, and sending a patient out the door with a prescription in hand is stressful and not how I like to practice medicine,” quips Hoppe, whose patients aren’t the least bit surprised to get a hug from her. “My patients can tell that I’m interested in their lives and that I pay attention to what they say. They may not be surprised to get a welcoming or compassionate hug but some are astonished when I inquire about their vacation in Greece or how their child is doing at the University of Arizona,” says Hoppe. “My secret is that I keep notes in files and do a review before visits,” she says with a twinkle in her eyes. “With a smaller practice, I now have time to do more of that.”

Dr. Diana Hoppe is the founder of Dr. Diana Hoppe, M.D. Inc., a private gynecology practice located at 317 North El Camino Real, Ste. 310, Encinitas 92024. For more information, call 760-635-5600. Visit DrDianaHoppe.com and ListenToYourLibido.com.