Despite advances in skill and technology, gynecologists have been slow to learn and adopt laparoscopic hysterectomy techniques. Compare general surgeons, who swiftly embraced laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder removal resulting in an adoption rate of over 90% for laparoscopic cholecystectomy by the year 1997.

This change was largely driven by consumers — the gallbladder patients — once they became aware of this less invasive option.

Women in the United States owe it to themselves to become aware of the options available to them. This knowledge provides the power to ask about options and to seek out surgeons who can offer less invasive methods.

Abdominal hysterectomies will continue to be the current standard of care if women do not speak up.

• Become informed about the latest surgical advances.
• Ask about your options.
• Seek out surgeons who embrace minimally invasive surgeries.

The more patients ask for less invasive hysterectomies, the more surgeons will perform them.

With more surgeons performing laparoscopic hysterectomy surgeries, insurance companies will come to realize their cost savings by equitably reimbursing gynecologists for these minimally invasive procedures.

Essentially, it comes down to the bottom line. Everyone will save money.

• Patients will benefit from less pain and less time lost from work.
• Gynecologists will benefit from seeing how well their patients do with these less invasive procedures.
• Insurance companies will benefit from patients spending less time in the hospital.

Many laparoscopic gynecologic surgeons are able do less than 10% of their hysterectomies with a large open incision.

Dr. Lori Warren, who is spearheading this awareness campaign, has been able to bring her abdominal hysterectomy rate down well below 10%.

Which doctor do we want our family members to see - the gynecologist who usually performs abdominal hysterectomies, or the one who rarely has to make a large incision?