We are so excited to welcome Dr. Donna Kasello to Premier Medical Group’s Gynecology Department. She is a board-certified physician with decades of experience in all aspects of women’s health. We caught up with her to learn more.
Bringing a Unique Approach to Premier Medical Group
Dr. Kasello has practiced in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology for 23 years. She recently narrowed her focus to only gynecology and women’s health. Additionally, she is completing a fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, an affiliate of the University of Arizona. Readers might be asking themselves, what is integrative medicine, and what does it have to do with gynecology?
“Integrative medicine is going back to basics and trying to get at the root cause [of an illness],” Dr. Kasello said. Roughly six years ago, she became curious about nutrition and its effect on hormones. This spurred an interest in integrative medicine, which, simply put, is healing that takes into account the whole person. Combining these two branches of care is uncommon, she said, and it gives her a unique approach to her patients. Hormone testing is a facet of integrative medicine.
Her areas of expertise include hormonal imbalances, menopausal issues and women’s sexual health. She said she takes a non-invasive approach to treatment. And of course, if necessary, she has surgical experience and is certified in DaVinci Robotics, a surgical system.
Serving Women at All Phases of Their Lives
While Dr. Kasello has dedicated herself to women’s health, she did not see herself in this role early in her career. “When I was in medical school,” she recalls, “people would ask, ‘What kind of doctor do you want to be?’ And I never thought, gynecologist.” During her rotations – when students practice different specialties – she became interested in the “whole lifespan of women’s health,” as she describes it.
“One of the things that got me into the field,” Dr. Kasello said, “is the whole span of doctor-patient relationships.” Some of her patients have been with her since she began. This allows her to see women at different, critical stages of their lives. On top of that, decades of practice means she sees different generations of patients from the same family. “Now,” she added, “I care for patients that I delivered.”
There is an extra dimension of her work, Dr. Kasello said. Oftentimes, women begin to see a gynecologist at age 16, usually for general counseling or contraception. And while a young woman may not be inclined to visit a primary care doctor, she said, they do see a gynecologist, who might offer services that are similar to primary care.
An Exceptional Level of Treatment
At Premier Medical Group, Dr. Kasello works to maximize patients’ access to her. With few exceptions, she said, she is always available, even after hours or weekends. Ease of access is what allows for more consistent care and develops the doctor-patient relationship.
“I look to partner with my patients,” Dr. Kasello said. “You try to have a partnership and try to encourage the patient to have ownership of their own health, and my job is to guide them to do that and have an overall better health and wellbeing.”
Dr. Kasello is joined by Dr. Lawrence Zolnik, who has also recently joined Premier Medical Group. Both doctors are seeing patients at our location at 50 Eastdale Avenue North, Poughkeepsie. Schedule an appointment today at 845.437.5000.