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Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD

(Dr. Peter Benziger, MD)

(1 Rating)

Specializes in: Family Medicine

Tufts University School of Medicine (2013)

Professional interests include: anxiety, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), rotator cuff injury, and more.

1750 12th Street
Hood River, OR 97031

(541) 386-5070

Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD is a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR specializing in family medicine. He graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine in 2013 and has 13 years of experience. Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD is affiliated with Providence, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital and COLUMBIA GORGE MEDICAL CENTER PC.

Office Locations

Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital

1750 12th Street
Hood River, OR 97031

(541) 386-5070

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Some issues Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD can help you with:

Depression

Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."

Some common symptoms of depression include:

Feeling sad, guilty, empty or hopeless
Fatigue and a lack of energy and motivation
A loss of pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed
Unusual sleep or eating habits
Mental fog -- trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Physical aches and pains
Suicidal thoughts or a preoccupation with death

We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.

Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.

Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are mental and physical illnesses that impact behavior, emotions, and thoughts about eating, food, body appearance, and weight. These disorders are characterized by preoccupations with food and physical size, resulting in dramatic lifestyle changes and adverse health effects. In the past, eating disorders were often diagnosed using BMI (body mass index), or by assessing someone's weight. Eating disorders specialists now recognize that eating disorders may occur in people of all sizes. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder (BED).

Anorexia nervosa, frequently referred to as anorexia, is a disorder where people severely restrict the types and quantity of food they eat. Those with anorexia have an extreme fear of eating and gaining weight and may repeatedly weigh themselves or engage in harmful behaviors such as excessive exercise or starvation. Those with anorexia often find themselves preoccupied with food, but unable to consume a healthy amount of it. This results in symptoms such as abnormally low BMI, vitamin deficiency, fatigue, fainting, and amenorrhea (lack of menstruation in women). Anorexia may cause bluish discoloration of the hands, brittle and falling out hair, yellowish skin, and lanugo (fine, downy hair). Left untreated, anorexia can lead to organ failure, brain damage, and even death.

Bulimia nervosa, typically called bulimia, is a disorder where people binge (eat large quantities of food) and purge the food that they just consumed by vomiting, laxative abuse, fasting, or excessive exercise. This behavior is usually motivated by a feeling of powerlessness over eating and a fear of weight gain or desire for weight loss. Bulimia can occur in underweight, normal weight, and overweight people. Symptoms of bulimia include acid reflux, intestinal distress, dehydration from purging, amenorrhea, and dental erosion from vomiting. Some people with bulimia have swollen parotid glands (salivary glands near the cheeks) and red scars and marks on the backs of their knuckles. Electrolyte imbalance from bulimia can be particularly severe and may lead to heart attack or stroke.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder. People with BED feel that they are unable to control the amount of food they eat and may continue to binge after reaching a point of fullness. BED binges (consuming large amounts of food) are often accompanied by feelings of sadness, guilt, and shame. Symptoms of BED include obesity, acid reflux, weight gain, and dissatisfaction with one's body. People with BED tend to experience cycles of negative emotions and binges. Binges or BED episodes can be provoked by stress, boredom, restrictive dieting, depression, and other triggers.

Other common eating disorders include:

Pica, eating things that are not food, such as paper, ice, or soil
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), disinterest in eating and avoidance of food
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED), abnormal eating that does not fall under any disorder

Many people with eating disorders do not consciously develop them, and have difficulty seeking treatment. For this reason, it's important to detect and treat eating disorders as early as possible. Treatment for eating disorders can vary from therapy visits to inpatient treatment, depending on the disorder and its severity. Treatment aims to not only restore physical health and correct negative behaviors, but to also promote psychological well-being and self-confidence.

Sexual Health Issues

Sexual health is a broad and loosely defined term that encompasses several extremely different areas of medicine. Sexual health not only includes physical health related to the act of sex, but also emotional, mental, or identity issues that can interfere with healthy sexuality. Because this scope is so broad, a huge number of health care professionals can accurately say they work in the sexual health specialty. Some of the many varied conditions included in sexual health include intimacy disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive health, LGBTQ issues, and sexual violence.

Sexual intimacy disorders are those that cause problems with the act of sexual intercourse, such as erectile dysfunction or vulvodynia. Erectile dysfunction, the inability to get or maintain an erection hard enough for sexual intercourse, is extremely common. It affects fully half of men over 40 to some degree. It is treated with medications, devices, or surgery. Vulvodynia, burning pain in the vulva that can be made worse with sexal activity, has no known cause. It is treated with oral or topical medications.

Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, herpes, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, are bacterial or viral infections that are contagious in the bodily fluids exchanged during sexual contact. Barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, help prevent the spread of STDs. HIV is a virus that can be caught from an infected person's sexual fluids or blood. When the virus infects the body, it interferes with the immune system and causes the disease known as AIDS. There is no cure, but anti-viral medications can help people with AIDS live a long and healthy life. Herpes is also a virus found in sexual fluids, called HSV-2. It causes blisters that come and go on the genitals. There is no cure for herpes, but anti-virals can minimize outbreaks. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are both bacterial infections. They are extremely common and often have no symptoms. The most common signs of an infection are burning pain and discharge. Gonorrhea and chlamydia can be treated with medications.

Reproductive health refers to both contraception and infertility treatment. Contraceptives prevent and plan the timing of pregnancy. Some, such as a vasectomy or tubal ligation, are extremely effective at preventing pregnancy. Others, such as spermicides, are less reliable. Popular contraceptives include condoms, birth control pills, IUDs, and diaphragms. On the other side of reproductive health, infertility is the inability to carry a pregnancy to term after one year of trying. It can be due to problems in either the man or the woman, and both genders are affected equally. In total, about 15% of the population suffer from infertility. Infertility treatments include medications and surgery.

Gay and transgender people have a few specific health care needs that may sometimes fall under the sexual health umbrella. First, many LGBT people still face discrimination from healthcare providers, so providing supportive and appropriate care is an issue. Because of social attitudes surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity, many gay and transgender people struggle with their identities. Rates of depression, substance abuse, and suicide are all higher in this group. Providing mental health support and counseling to those in transition is critical. Finally, transgender patients who are undergoing gender affirmation require sensitive medical health care, including surgical and hormonal treatment.

Sexual violence can be defined as any unwanted or non-consensual sexual activity. It ranges from sexual harassment to touching to rape. It affects women more than men and is widespread: 1 in 4 women report being victims of sexual violence at the hands of a partner, and as many as 1 in 3 girls report their first sexual contact as being violent. Sexual violence has lasting physical and emotional consequences for victims, but educating both girls and boys can prevent violence. Care for those who have endured sexual violence includes counseling and mental health support, medical care, and legal support.

Sexuality is more than a reproductive requirement -- it is a form of expression and identity. Sexual health blends all these aspects of experience together and helps people lead sexually fulfilling lives.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 25%

By Affordability:

lab tests

urinalysis

In 2013, Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD had a list price for lab tests, and urinalysis that was lower than the list prices billed to Medicare by 75% of providers in related specialties within Oregon. Actual amounts paid by patients can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage. A lower list price, however, might mean lower fees when paying without insurance.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2016 were lab tests.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

lab tests	39

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	21
Female	23

**Age**
From 65 to 74	20
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2016

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2016 were hypertension, atrial fibrilation, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Hypertension	52
High Cholesterol	32
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	0
Depression	0
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	36
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2017 were lab tests, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	23
inpatient care	23
lab tests	78

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	39
Female	44

**Age**
From 65 to 74	34
From 75 to 84	25
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2017

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2017 were hypertension, high cholesterol, atrial fibrilation and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	52
High Cholesterol	31
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	24
Depression	18
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	24
Dementia	14
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2018 were lab tests, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	21
inpatient care	21
lab tests	103

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	55
Female	48

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	89
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	44
From 75 to 84	27
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2018

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2018 were hypertension, high cholesterol, atrial fibrilation and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	58
High Cholesterol	39
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	32
Heart Failure	30
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	26
Dementia	12
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2019 were lab tests, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	31
inpatient care	31
lab tests	118

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	48
Female	63

**Age**
From 65 to 74	45
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2019

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2019 were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and atrial fibrilation.

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	30
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	26
Dementia	23
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2020 were lab tests, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	34
inpatient care	34
lab tests	56

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	52
Female	46

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	85
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	37
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2020

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2020 were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	46
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	22
Heart Failure	28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	33
Dementia	22
Cancer	17

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care and lab tests.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	94
inpatient care	94
lab tests	17

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	49
Female	56

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	92
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	39
From 75 to 84	31
85 and over	23
Less than 65	12

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2021

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2021 were hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease and diabetes.

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	33
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	33
Dementia	19
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2022 were hospital care, inpatient care, lab tests and preventive care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

diabetes management	20
hospital care	96
inpatient care	96
lab tests	33
preventive care	20

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	54
Female	53

**Age**
From 65 to 74	48
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	15
Less than 65	11

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2022

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2022 were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	51
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	24
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	35
Dementia	11
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2023 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR during 2023 were hospital care, inpatient care, lab tests and preventive care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

diabetes management	25
hospital care	59
inpatient care	59
lab tests	41
preventive care	25

2023 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	51
Female	44

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	80
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	50
From 75 to 84	23
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD in 2023

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated during 2023 were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart failure.

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	58
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	22
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	14
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	36
Dementia	14
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2016 - 2023

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated as a family medicine practitioner in Hood River, OR were lab tests, hospital care, inpatient care and preventive care.

diabetes management	22
hospital care	51
inpatient care	51
lab tests	60
preventive care	22

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2016 - 2023

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD.

**Gender**
Male	46
Female	47

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	43
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	25
85 and over	4
Less than 65	2
65 to 74	39

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD From 2016 - 2023

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and atrial fibrilation.

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	16
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	3
Osteoporosis	2
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	30
Atrial Fibrillation	26
Cancer	9
Dementia	14

Education & Training

Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine in 2013. He completed residency at Providence Milwaukie Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Family Medicine and has a state license in Oregon.

Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine (2013)

Residency: Providence Milwaukie Hospital (2014)

Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine, Family Medicine

Licensed In: Oregon

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Providence

Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital

COLUMBIA GORGE MEDICAL CENTER PC

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: First Choice Health, TRICARE Prime, TRICARE For Life, CIGNA PPO, CIGNA Open Access Plus, Medicare Advantage, United Healthcare, TRICARE, Medicaid, Blue California, CHAMPVA, United Healthcare PPO, United Healthcare POS, Providence, Regence, US Family Health Plan, Medicare AB, Aetna PROV Employee POS, Moda Connexus Network, Age Right Marquis Advantage and Samaritan Health Plan Med Advantage.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

First Choice Health

TRICARE Prime

TRICARE For Life

CIGNA PPO

CIGNA Open Access Plus

Medicare Advantage

United Healthcare

TRICARE

Medicaid

Blue California

CHAMPVA

United Healthcare PPO

United Healthcare POS

Providence

Regence

US Family Health Plan

Medicare AB

Aetna PROV Employee POS

Moda Connexus Network

Age Right Marquis Advantage

Samaritan Health Plan Med Advantage

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 1 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Peter Ward Benziger, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Hood River, OR.

Overall Rating

(1 Rating)

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Reviews Left On DocSpot

Overall Rating: 5.0 2025-01-07

Dr. Peter Benziger is a thoughtful and understanding doctor.  He gives you up-to-date facts and takes into account an understanding of your view.  I respect his opinion and am grateful he has choices with the pros and cons of his recommendations for better health without holding back on some of the bad things that come when taking medicines.  I would recommend him to anyone who is skeptical of doctors.

Biography

Dr. Peter Benziger is a physician who specializes in family medicine. His areas of expertise include the following: alcohol abuse, depression, and nasal congestion (stuffy nose). He graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Benziger completed his residency training at Providence Milwaukie Hospital. Dr. Benziger is affiliated with Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.