News

Awarded 2021 Top Doc for Obstetrics and Gynecology

2021 Top Doc for Obstetrics and Gynecology Dr Okun was raised in Washington D.C. and graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She has been with WSNM since 1991 and currently serves as the CEO and Medical Director for the practice. Dr Okun practices at the Jefferson Lane office where she is known for her ability to connect with patients, to meet them where they are and, truly listen. She believes in total healthcare, prevention, wellness, and good nutrition which play leading roles in her approach to medicine. Dr Okun has a passion for music. She is an accomplished classical singer and has performed with Opera Southwest and Musical Theater Southwest.  Currently Dr. Okun sings with Quintessence, Choral Artists of the Southwest. WSNM congratulates Dr Okun on her award as the 2021 OB-GYN Top Doc.

2021-03-11T09:08:48-07:00March 11th, 2021|News|

Awarded 2021 Top Doc for Robotic Surgery

2021 Top Doc for Robotic Surgery Dr Jeanine Valdez practices at the WSNM Westside office on Riverside. Her hometown is Isleta Pueblo and she decided to be a doctor at age 10, following in the footsteps of her parents. Dr Valdez was inspired by the stories her parents shared about caring for community members. Today, she enjoys all aspects of obstetrics and gynecology and has a special interest on minimally invasive surgery. She is well-known for listening and demonstrating compassion to her patients. Some interesting things patients may not know about Dr Valdez is that her first car was a Ford Ranger, she enjoys running, her favorite sports team is the San Antonio Spurs and she makes great fruit popsicles. WSNM congratulates Dr Valdez on her award as the 2021 Top Doc for Robotic Surgery.

2021-03-11T09:13:45-07:00March 11th, 2021|News|

A Letter to our BCBS Patients (Update)

A Letter to our BCBS Patients (UPDATE) January 15, 2021 Dear Blue Cross Blue Shield Patients, Women’s Specialists of New Mexico would like to inform you that we have secured a new contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) effective January 1, 2021. We realize that some of you may have left our practice because of the lack of a contract with BCBS.  We are sincerely sorry if this has created a disruption in your healthcare. Typically, we get these types of contract disputes resolved before the end of the contract period and in this case that did not happen. We genuinely hope that you will continue to choose Women’s Specialist of New Mexico and its providers as your provider of choice. If you had canceled an appointment or need to set up a new appointment, please contact our Scheduling Department. We would be happy to help. Sincerely, Kathy Teston Executive Director

2021-01-18T07:05:10-07:00January 18th, 2021|News|

WSNM Wins Readers’ Choice Award for 2020

On September 27, 2020, the Albuquerque Journal announced that Women’s Specialists of New Mexico is a Reader’s Choice winner in the gynecology category of the 2020 contest. Albuquerque Journal Readers' Choice — now in its 7th year — celebrates the best that Albuquerque and New Mexico have to offer in over 250 different categories of businesses, places and people in the city and state. There are several contenders in each of the category with only one winner. The 2020 contest attracted more than 150,000 votes from Albuquerque and around the State.  “The providers at WSNM are thrilled to be recognized as the winner for gynecology care” said Practice Executive, Kathy Teston, “This is truly a special recognition since it comes from our community members. We appreciate voters who value the care and trust our providers for their full range of gynecology care.”  At WSNM, patients can choose to be cared for by a physician, midwife, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. The practice offers routine gynecological exams and treatment and advice for vaginitis, contraception, abnormal bleeding, urinary tract infections as well as screening for sexually transmitted diseases.Each year WSNM sees over 25,000 women. Providers believe that helping each woman maintain her gynecological health is an integral part of an overall healthy life.Thank you New Mexico for this wonderful recognition!!

2020-10-01T14:08:51-06:00October 1st, 2020|News|

WSNM and COVID-19

WSNM and COVID-19 WSNM and COVID-19 Women’s Specialists of New Mexico is reaching out to our patients with information on our response to the COVID-19 or Novel Coronavirus. If you have an appointment, check in with our front desk, verify your mobile phone number and then go wait in your car. We will call you when it is time for your appointment. We ask that no one accompanies you to this appointment. Please wear a face covering to your appointment. First, for up-to-date information on the developing situation in New Mexico, we are encouraging patients monitor the http://cv.nmhealth.org. Here you will find the latest official information on COVID -19 in New Mexico as well as guidance for self-protection. WSNM is checking this informational site daily and responding with appropriate measures. We are also closely monitoring the New Mexico Department of Health website and the national website of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 webpage daily. Second, we want to remind our patients that we take care of women’s health, providing emergent gynecological visits and prenatal care for pregnant moms. Unlike primary care or internal medicine clinics, we do not treat patients with colds and flu. If you need medical care for these conditions, please seek help from your family practice provider or an urgent care. Our offices are open for scheduled OB-GYN appointments. However, if you have flu like symptoms, please do not come into our office. If you have a non-essential appointment and want [...]

2020-06-13T17:58:38-06:00March 20th, 2020|News|

Benefits of a Normal Physiologic Birth

Ask the Midwife - Benefits of a Normal Physiologic Birth Q:I am expecting my first child in October, and I am both excited and scared. What can I do to have the best outcome for myself and my baby, and decrease the chance of interventions such as c-section? A:Congratulations! Our goal is to support you in having the birth you want, with a happy and healthy outcome for mom and baby. First, let’s review normal birth. This process includes labor, childbirth and the immediate postpartum period. Normal birth begins on its own, results in vaginal birth, and the mother and baby remain together after birth, with the baby skin to skin. When labor begins spontaneously, hormones are released that help your body contract effectively and help you cope with pain. There is less of a chance that you will need a vacuum delivery or a cesarean. The hormones of labor also help your baby transition to life outside the womb, including maintaining a normal body temperature and respirations. Benefits of a normal birth process include better health for mom and baby, successful adjustment to life outside the womb, emotional satisfaction with the process and being able to cope well with the transition to motherhood. It is important to give birth in an environment that feels private and comfortable, with the right support people present. Some women hire a doula for one on one support. Others have family members present. Only you can decide who you need for emotional support [...]

2022-09-01T14:13:21-06:00September 18th, 2018|Education, News|

WSNM Congratulates Dr. Beverly Pucka on Retirement

All of us at Women’s Specialists send a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Beverly Pucka for her three decades of services to the women of our community. Known for her dedication to excellence in women’s care and loving patient relationships, Dr. Pucka is retiring on April 30, 2018. She has been caring for patients at WSNM for the last four years and we are grateful for her time in our practice. Dr. Pucka’s patient records will remain at WSNM and her patients are free to select any of our providers to continue your care at WSNM. Call (505) 843-6168 to schedule your appointment with your new provider. Join us in wishing Dr. Pucka a joyful and fulfilling retirement!

2018-04-16T10:47:40-06:00April 16th, 2018|News|

Nitrous Oxide for Labor Analgesia

Ask the Midwife - Nitrous Oxide for Labor Analgesia If you are like most pregnant women, you have been putting some thought into labor and what will happen during that process. Pain management is something that many women consider ahead of time. It is very common to have concerns about it: how much will labor hurt? Will I be able to manage it? What are my options for pain relief if the pain is too much for me? Will the options really help enough? Most women are a little nervous when thinking of these questions. Many women have heard of pain relief options such as the epidural or IV pain medication. There is a new option being offered for pain relief in labor at Lovelace Women’s Hospital; one that in fact has been in use for over a hundred years but is becoming more popular currently in the United States. This option is nitrous oxide, a pain reliever in the form of gas that is inhaled by the laboring woman. Nitrous oxide has been used for many years in Europe for pain relief in labor, and in fact has been used in some U.S. hospitals for as long as 20 years. More recently, the use of nitrous in labor units in the U.S. has become more common, including in NM. You may be familiar with nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas” from the dentist office. The form given for labor is a bit different from the dentist office. It [...]

2020-07-14T14:11:37-06:00February 6th, 2018|Child Birth, Education, Motherhood, News|

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month I love seeing women for annuals throughout the year, but I get a particular kick out of the women who come for their annuals in January. What a great way to start the year out with a commitment to self-care! Here we are at the end of January already, but you still have lots of time to get your annual done this year. Did you know that January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month? We all know we should have our annuals and get Pap smears regularly but sometimes there is confusion about why we do Pap smears and what the results tell us. A Pap smear is a highly reliable way to screen for cervical cancer, or cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the opening to the uterus. It acts as a doorway between your vagina and uterus (and therefore other internal organs as well!). Your cervix has to deal with quite a bit of germs, viruses and bacteria—and sperm! Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the myriad of microorganisms that your cervix faces off against. HPV is transmitted skin-to-skin, so we usually blame penises and fingers for transferring HPV to the cervix, although sex toys can also harbor HPV for many hours. Certain strains of HPV really settle into cervical cells. Most women’s immune systems clear HPV over time but occasionally worrisome types of HPV decide to hang around for years and can ultimately cause cervical cancer for some women. [...]

2018-02-27T09:59:58-07:00January 30th, 2018|Annual Exam, Gynecology, News|

Women’s Specialists of New Mexico Moves Downtown Office

New Location Will Improve Patient Experience On November 1, WSNM officially moved our home office from 201 Cedar St SE to 1001 Coal Ave SE.  The new location is one block south and the change is being made to increase convenience for patients. The new location on Coal offers more parking spaces, shorter walking distances and easier access to appointments. According to WSNM Executive Director Kathy Teston, “This move is about creating more convenience for our patients. The complaint we hear most often from patients and family members who see us at the downtown office is about parking. Our current location at the Presbyterian Hospital campus on Central Avenue is inside a multi-story building on the fifth floor. Patients often walk long distances across crowed outdoor parking lots or navigate a large, hectic parking structure. Our new office is a two-story building with plenty of on-site surface parking. We have been communicating about the move with our patients for a few months now and we are getting very positive feedback.” “Our downtown office tends to be our busiest”, said Teston, “we have 12 full-time providers seeing 35,000 patient visits a year. We are investing in the new space at 1001 Coal for our patients’ convenience and we’re also taking the opportunity to provide patients with a fresh and up-to-date medical office.”

2018-02-27T10:03:51-07:00November 2nd, 2017|News|
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