Women’s wellness with a personal touch. Integrating the time and expertise to achieve your health goals
A New Wave of Healthcare
Traditional medical models don’t often cater to women’s needs throughout their lifetime. Too often we are cared for based on historical practices that were researched and focused on men’s bodies. We are not the same and our healthcare shouldn’t be the same! We deserve a practice where we are not rushed through our concerns, our symptoms are believed, and we have access to resources that will help us thrive rather than just survive. Current health practices focus on how to help a problem once it has already happened, but an integrative medical practice focuses on women and can actually work with our patients on preventative measures, planning for the future, and ensuring that as we age, we do so as strong, confident, and energetic individuals!
You are looking for a practice that cares for women throughout their lifetime, not just for one problem at a time. You are a more than just a body part, you are an individual with specific needs, specific issues and the desire to feel well, be active, and to understand your body.
Sapphire Wellness is an integrative practice where women, throughout their lifespan, can find a provider who tailors care specifically to them. Our focus is on quality, evidence-based medical care that doesn’t rush through to meet a quota of patients, but rather, we care about you and your health goals. Whether it is hormone health, gut health, weight issues, pre- or post- pregnancy health, the focus is on compassionate care for women throughout their lives.
Who I Am
Welcome to your go-to source for all things in perimenopause/menopause in the Wilmington, NC area. My name is Lisa McDowell, PA-C, MSCP, and I am the founder and provider of Sapphire Wellness. Utilizing evidence-based practices, my goal is to take the time needed to develop a personalized plan that addresses the specific needs of each woman that I encounter.
I have 14 years of experience as a family practice PA and have worked with hundreds of women on improving their health by incorporating a whole body approach. It is not just a “magic pill” that is going to make everything better. At Sapphire Wellness, we will work on good sleep hygiene, appropriate diet and exercise programs, and how hormones, endocrine issues, and stress can all play a role in our overall health.
My goal is to empower women to see themselves as the strong, capable, amazing people they are! Thriving in midlife and beyond is possible and I want to be a part of the change that takes women from hearing menopause is a “natural process” to realizing that we need to recognize its effects on the whole body and that interventions are available, is my goal at every consult.
I am a proud graduate of Duke University (B.A. Class of 2004), and Medical University of South Carolina (M.P.A.S. 2010). I have spent my healthcare career in primary care taking care of individuals throughout the lifespan. In 2021, I attended a conference and heard a fellow provider discuss perimenopause and menopause and how that population of women has often been dismissed and are sent to multiple specialists, started on multiple meds, but perhaps, were not actually treated for the actual issues that were underlying their concerns. It was that conference that prompted me to join the Menopause Society and work on getting certified as a menopause specialist. As I started speaking to women in my primary care practice, I realized that I was one of the few providers that were actually screening them for these types of concerns and I wanted to enact change! I continue to be a lifelong learner and always want to listen to my patients first, find out what is important to them, and then work as a team to treat their needs.
Our Services
-
Night sweats, insomnia, hot flashes, new inflammation, brain fog, weight changes, fatigue, and more can all accompany this time of life. We meet with you to learn about your symptoms, advise if labs would be apprioriate, what other potential causes could be, and then come up with a plan that fits your desires.
For some, that will be hormone replacement therapy. For others, it may be finding supplements and foods that can help with change in hormones. We always personalize a plan to fit your goals.
-
As women, we have been inundated by the messages from society that say, “thin=the goal”. Our goal at Sapphire Wellness is to recognize that our body is more complex than a “calories in, calories out” plan. If that worked, every woman in the US would be able to lose weight like they wanted to! Your ideal plan for weight loss may be a combination of dietary changes, differing exercise needs, and in some cases, considering medications that can be a help to your health goals. We will aim to educate you on all your options so you can chose whether a medical weight loss program is right for you!
-
Woman’s needs are vast and while we are still having monthly periods, several things can be problematic. Sapphire Wellness will work with those ages 16-60 who are still having periods and have issues like premenstrual dysphoric disorder, irregular periods, breakthrough bleeding, or preconception counseling on developing options to help with your specific concern.
-
Sleep may be the most underrated answer to health conditions at this particular time in history. There are numerous reasons why our sleep gets disrupted. Things like obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety, shift work, taking care of children, stress, hormonal changes are all common culprits. Sapphire Wellness will perform a thorough history of your sleep, your schedule, your stressors and come up with a plan to re-regulate your sleep/wake schedule to help you feel more refreshed and rejuvenated!
-
Fatigue is another multi-factorial puzzle to solve. In most studies that have been conducted on fatigue, women tend to report the symptom more than men. If your thyroid has been the only thing ever checked at an appointment when you’ve mentioned fatigue, you are potentially missing several causes. Labs are generally the starting point but a good personal history of your sleep schedule, daily activities, stress levels and medications could provide insights to helping you gain your energy back! We can order these tests and provide an explanation of what they show, while making suggestions on helping you get back the pep in your step!
Care Plan Cost
Sapphire Wellness is a cash pay practice which means we do not take insurance. This allows us to work outside the regular model of medicine, which is to see as many patients as possible in a day, and usually for just 15 minutes. But not here! Your appointment fee will allow you to spend an hour with Lisa, initially and 30 minutes or more at each additional appointment. The intake fee will give you access to our patient portal which gives you access to our provider and feedback in real-time. Basically, we don’t want to see you once and then send you on your way with a new medication or plan. We know that you may have questions or concerns that develop along the way and you shouldn’t have to wait until your next appointment for the answer to a simple question!
The advantage of the membership-based model is that our office is small and the goal is to get to know YOU!
***Of note: Changes are coming SUMMER 2026! We hope to extend our reach into the Direct Primary Care Space and see patients in-patient! If you’d like to learn more, please subscribe to our email list and we will give you a way to get on our waitlist!***
FAQs
-
This modern model of healthcare practice focuses on the need for more time, more continuity, and education when it comes to our health. The absence of the insurance model allows for our provider, Lisa, to spend the time one-on-one with the patient and really taking the time to meet individual needs. We try to utilize your insurance where we can by providing super bills that can be submitted for coverage as an out-of-network provider and utilizing your insurance’s medication insurance where we can. We have an integrative EMR that allows us to communicate with local labs (Quest and Labcorp) and with local and mail order pharmacies. s here
-
Telehealth provides major conveniences like being able to have the appointment during a lunch period or from the comfort of your home. It also allows Lisa to provide her services anywhere in North Carolina. The future will hold a physical location so that services can continue to be expanded, but for now, all consults and follow ups will occur online.
-
When you purchase the membership, you are completely in control of how you use your visits. If you feel we need to see you every 2 weeks initially, we can do that! If you want to schedule out once monthly for the whole year, you can! Lisa will give recommendations of when to check back in following medication initiations and repeating labs. Generally, we try to schedule your next needed visit before the end of your current visit. You have access to our available appointments from the time you become a member through your patient portal. We will discuss this in more detail and your initial appointment as well.
-
We are not primary care. We will discuss your diagnoses as they pertain to your hormonal needs but will not take over care for chronic conditions. We serve as a supplemental provider, meant to enhance your health. We will strongly encourage you to have all your preventative screenings, recommended vaccines, and have an established primary care provider. We look forward to being an important part of your healthcare team!
-
We understand that life happens and everyone is not familiar with the membership/direct care model. In all programs, we require a 3-month commitment and will charge you for those months regardless if you use your membership or not. Beyond the 3-month commitment, you must notify us of your desire to cancel so that we can stop the next month’s payment. There will be no pro-rated fees and once you stop your membership, we will no longer prescribe medications or continue to issue refills.
Schedule a time with us
We're here to make your health a top priority. Schedule your appointment today and let our compassionate provider guide you on a path to being your best self. Please enter your information below to join our waitlist and we will let you know as soon as we get our schedule started!
