Question 1

What can a Nurse Practitioner actually do?

Accepted Answer

In Alberta, a Nurse Practitioner has a full scope of practice. Kate can assess your symptoms, make a diagnosis, order and interpret bloodwork and imaging, prescribe medication including hormone therapy, and perform in-office procedures. In practical terms, your care stays with one person who knows your history from start to finish.

Question 2

Why isn't this covered by Alberta Health Services?

Accepted Answer

This is a private, fee-for-service practice. Publicly funded appointments are built around short visits, and that format doesn't allow the time this kind of care needs. Practising privately is what makes a full hour, and a proper conversation, possible.

Question 3

Will my insurance reimburse the visit?

Accepted Answer

Many extended health plans cover Nurse Practitioner visits, though coverage varies. You'll receive a receipt you can submit to your provider. It's worth calling your plan before your appointment so you know where you stand.

Question 4

Do I need a referral?

Accepted Answer

No. You can book directly, and you don't need a diagnosis or a referral letter to start. If you'd like your family physician kept in the loop, we're glad to do that with your consent.

Question 5

Is hormone therapy safe?

Accepted Answer

For many women it's both safe and effective, but the honest answer is that it depends on you — your history, your symptoms, and your own risk profile. That's precisely what the first visit is for. Kate will walk you through the current evidence, including the trade-offs, so you can make a decision that's genuinely informed rather than one made for you.

Question 6

How do I know if my symptoms are hormonal?

Accepted Answer

Often you don't, and that's a reasonable place to start from. Fatigue, disrupted sleep, brain fog, mood changes, and shifting weight all have several possible explanations. A thorough history combined with comprehensive bloodwork is how we find out, rather than assuming in either direction.

Question 7

I've been told my bloodwork is normal. Is there any point coming in?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A result inside the reference range doesn't always mean everything is well, particularly during perimenopause when levels fluctuate considerably. Reading your labs alongside your symptoms and history usually tells a fuller story than a single value on its own.

Question 8

Am I too young — or too old — for this?

Accepted Answer

Hormonal change isn't confined to one decade. Perimenopause commonly begins in the forties but can start earlier, and there's meaningful care available well beyond menopause. If something feels off, that's reason enough to have the conversation.

Question 9

How long is the first appointment?

Accepted Answer

Plan for a full hour. Follow-up visits are usually shorter, and appointments are billed by time at $440 per hour, so you only pay for the time you use.

Question 10

Will I leave with a prescription?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. Some women leave their first visit with a prescription. Others need bloodwork or additional information before we decide together on the best plan. Every recommendation is based on your health history, symptoms, goals, and the best available evidence.

Question 11

How do I book?

Accepted Answer

By phone or email. There's no online booking system, so you'll speak to someone who can answer your questions and find a time that works.

Question 12

What if I need to reschedule?

Accepted Answer

Life happens. Let us know as far ahead as you reasonably can so the time can be offered to someone else who's waiting.

The things women usually want to ask first.

About the practice

Hormones & treatment

Appointments & booking

You know your body better than anyone.
I'd like to help you make sense of it.