Established in 1999 with approval from the VCU Board of Visitors, the Institute for Women’s Health seeks to improve the health of women through research, clinical care, education, community outreach and leadership development. The institute was created to bring together these diverse activities, generate synergy within VCU and foster coordinated alliances with the greater community.
In 2003, these efforts were rewarded when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designated the institute as a National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. Centers of Excellence serve as models in providing innovative, comprehensive, multidisciplinary and integrated health care systems for women across the life span.
The Institute has 4 strategic components:
Develop, support and facilitate interdisciplinary research including basic, clinical, behavioral, translational and community-engaged research in women’s health and gender differences. More
Create sustained partnerships between VCU and the surrounding community to provide state-of-the-art, culturally relevant health information, services and research opportunities. More
Develop culturally competent professional education programs in women’s health that improve the quality of health care and promote evidence-based decision-making. More
Promote standards of excellence in comprehensive multidisciplinary women’s health care and advance VCU as the premier women’s health service for the greater Richmond community. More
The VCU Institute for Women's Health is one of 20 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)
served 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 provide 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
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