Building a Better Menopause System: Insights from One Medical’s Dr. Erin Duralde

On this episode of Innovate & Elevate, Sharon speaks with Dr. Erin Duralde, Medical Director for Women’s Health and Menopause Care at One Medical, about a question that keeps coming up in midlife healthcare: now that we know more, where do people actually go for menopause care? Recorded shortly after the FDA removed the long-standing black box warning on estrogen therapies, this conversation explores how menopause and perimenopause care can be integrated into primary care, what a modern menopause visit should look like, and how clinicians can better listen to symptoms, history, and lived experience to guide care. What You’ll Learn from this Episode: How Dr. Duralde’s early work as a patient advocate at the UCSF Breast Care Center shaped her approach to menopause care and clinical decision-making Why menopause education was largely missing from medical training following misinterpretations of the Women’s Health Initiative, and how that legacy still affects care today What patients can expect from a dedicated menopause or perimenopause visit at One Medical How intake surveys and symptom tracking help clinicians better understand what matters most to each patient The wide range of symptoms that can appear during perimenopause, beyond hot flashes and night sweats How clinicians think through treatment options in perimenopause, including hormonal and non-hormonal approaches The difference between menopausal hormone therapy and combined hormonal contraception, and why timing and symptoms matter How testosterone is used in post-menopause, why dosing matters, and how safety is monitored How primary care providers are being trained at scale to deliver evidence-based menopause care As always, nothing in this episode is personal medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your individual history, risks, and options. Connect with Sharon: On LinkedIn On Instagram Learn more about the Innovate and Elevate podcast Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox Connect with Dr. Erin Duralde MD MPH MSCP On LinkedIn Connect with One Medical One Medical Website On LinkedIn On Instagram On Facebook Menopause Care, Guidelines & Professional Organizations Referenced: The Menopause Society – https://www.menopause.org/ American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) – https://www.acog.org/ American Urological Association (AUA) – https://www.auanet.org/ Topics & Therapies Discussed: Menopausal hormone therapy Perimenopause symptom assessment Testosterone therapy in post-menopause Vaginal estrogen for genitourinary symptoms of menopause Intake surveys and symptom-based care Primary care–based menopause models Skip to the Good Part: 00:00 – Why Access to Menopause Care Keeps Coming Up 01:00 – Introducing Dr. Erin Duralde and Her Path into Menopause Care 03:30 – How Misinterpretations of the WHI Shaped Medical Training 06:30 – What a Modern Menopause Visit Should Look Like 09:30 – Why Intake Surveys Change the Quality of Care 12:00 – The Range of Perimenopause Symptoms 14:30 – Hormonal and Non-Hormonal Treatment Options 18:00 – Testosterone Therapy: Safety, Dosing, and Expectations 22:00 – Labs, Symptoms, and Clinical Judgment 25:00 – Scaling Menopause Care Through Primary Care Please note: The information on this podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional regarding your individual health needs. About Dr. Erin Duralde: Dr. Erin Duralde is a practicing primary care provider and Medical Director of Women's Health and Menopause Care at One Medical, where she leads menopause care delivery. Before joining One Medical in 2023, she practiced at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Menopause and Midlife clinic in Boston. Erin earned her MD from the University of California, San Francisco, completed her internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and holds a