With his focus on men’s health, including enlarged prostate problems, prostate cancer, sexual dysfunction, low testosterone, Peyronie’s disease and infertility, it’s a natural fit. As a surgeon, he also specializes in microsurgery, vasectomy, vasectomy reversal and penile implants.
“I am proud that El Camino was the first hospital in California to understand that men have unique needs, which we addressed by creating the Men’s Health Program,” says Dr. Karpman. “Today it serves as a model for similar programs at hospitals around the country.”
Because many diseases in men are interrelated, Dr. Karpman’s medical approach is comprehensive—a fact that allows him and the other doctors at the Men’s Health Program to treat a patient for the obvious problem as well as the associated problem.
“This type of one-stop approach is great for the patient and for the doctors. While these services may be offered at other hospitals, what makes our program unique are the ways that we work together with the common understanding that these are interrelated conditions, yet they are generally treated independently.”
For example, erectile dysfunction is an early warning symptom of cardiovascular disease. “In the past, men would see one doctor about sexual dysfunction, and a completely different doctor for heart conditions,” explains Dr. Karpman. “Because the two doctors were separate entities, the connection between sexual dysfunction and heart disease went unnoticed for many years. Having this type of multidisciplinary approach in one physical location helps us serve patients as a whole and treat conditions that may have gone undiagnosed.”
As medical director of Men’s Health, top surgeon and male health authority, Dr. Karpman still enjoys “helping guys with their health problems” and treats every patient as an individual. His goal is for men to achieve not only good quantity of life, but also good quality of life.
Dr. Karpman is excited to be leading the Men’s Health Program. “Women are much more proactive about their health. In fact, there is statistical evidence that the majority of medical decisions within a family are made by a woman,” he says. “Because of this, many men’s health issues are underserved. This program is an opportunity for us to inform men about the importance of taking care of themselves. It is a relatively new field, and accepting this type of care as a standard in medicine is the next big step.”
This article first appeared in the June 2019 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
