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The VCU Institute for Women's Health was established in 1999 to
promote standards of excellence in women's health care, advance
cutting-edge research, foster community outreach and collaboration,
enhance women's leadership, and provide training and education
toward the goal of improving the health of women. At the heart
of the Institute is the VCU Women's Health Center at Stony Point,
a nationally recognized multidisciplinary "one-stop shopping"
health care facility for women, which opened in 1993. Services
include obstetrics and gynecology, primary care medicine, breast
health clinic, a variety of health education and health promotion
classes and a comprehensive women's health resource center.
The mission of the VCU Institute for Women's Health
is to improve the health of women through health education,
research, clinical care, outreach and leadership development
and to bring these diverse activities under a single umbrella,
create synergy within VCU, and foster coordinated alliances
with the greater community.
The Institute has 5 components:
The VCU Institute for Women's Health is one of 21 National
Centers of Excellence in Women's Health designated by the
Office of Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. VCU was awarded this designation in October
2003. The National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CoEs)
serve as demonstration models for the Nation to provide innovative,
comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and integrated health care
systems for women. The CoEs provide for the special needs of
women, including the underserved and minorities, by integrating:
- State-of-the-art comprehensive and integrated health care
services
- Multidisciplinary research
- Public and professional education, training, and materials
- Community partnerships and outreach for health services
and programs
- Leadership positions for women in academic medicine
Each of the National Centers of Excellence provides the following:
- An integrated model for the delivery of clinical health
care services to women with an emphasis on prevention and
early detection of diseases and conditions
- A multidisciplinary research agenda focused on women's
health issues
- Coordination between clinical services in academic centers
and surrounding communities
- Educational programs & materials for the general public
& health care professionals
- The integration of a women's health focus into the medical
school curriculum
- Efforts to foster the recruitment, retention, and promotion
of women in academic medical careers
- Networking within the community to form alliances with
business groups, consumer groups, scientific organizations
and public policy leaders
- An evaluation plan to assess project outcomes and effectiveness
The following reports are available for more information on the history and development of the VCU Institute for Women's Health as a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health:
2003-2004 Progress Report
2004-2005 Progress Report
2006 History & Highlights
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