Capturing the Spirit of Women:
Lancaster General Expands Commitment to Women’s Health
Lancaster General has a long tradition of providing quality healthcare to women. So when we were given the opportunity to join the Spirit of Women national network of hospitals and healthcare facilities, it was a natural fit.
“All of our Spirit of Women hospitals aspire to meet a set of national standards for women’s healthcare, and are innovative in their approach,” says Tanya Abreu, President and National Program Director, Spirit of Women Hospital Network.
“We are an advocate for women’s health,” adds Tony Castle, MD, Senior Vice President, Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital. “We are always looking for new ways to encourage women to take action for their health. Spirit of Women hospitals are focused on doing just that.”
“Spirit of Women hospitals like Lancaster General are doing a great job of making healthcare less of a fearful experience and are working to not only reach out to women, but make healthcare easier and actually fun,” Tanya says. “We want women to not be afraid to go to the doctor.”
Today there are 170 hospitals nationwide in 65 cities that are designated as Spirit of Women hospitals. Lancaster General is one of three in Pennsylvania.
Improving healthcare awareness
Spirit of Women not only recognizes a hospital for its commitment to quality healthcare for women, but provides it with outstanding programs and events to further women’s awareness of important health issues.
One such recent event was the successful first Girls Night Out. Lancaster General sponsored the Local Artisan Market & Gift Boutique event, which featured 20 local merchants and artisans as well as educational sessions on breast health and cervical cancer.
One new offering from Spirit of Women will be New Mom Moments, a program designed to take prenatal education classes to the next level and further prepare women for this life-changing experience.
“Women feel a lot of hope and a lot of fear when preparing for the arrival of a baby,” Tanya says. “They know that everything is not a picture perfect moment. We want to showcase each memory, good and bad, so women can understand and prepare for what can happen throughout pregnancy and childbirth to build their confidence.”
Day of Dance
Another example of how Spirit of Women hospitals make healthcare fun is the annual Day of Dance for heart health, a nationwide event that will be held locally at the Lancaster General Health Campus on Saturday, February 24, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. “We’ve taken the fear of heart ailments and turned it into the Day of Dance, where people from all walks of life can come together and enjoy an event as a family while raising their awareness about their own heart health,” Tanya says.
The event, which is supported by the Lancaster General Heart Center and local cardiology and cardiac surgery groups, features dance demonstrations, heart healthy cooking demonstrations, physician speakers, health screenings, tips on health nutrition and lifestyle and of course, participants will have an opportunity to dance. The first 1,500 women to participate will receive a free gift bag.
Day of Dance is just one of many Spirit of Women events Lancaster General will be holding in 2007. “And we are hoping the Spirit of Women program will continue to grow,” Dr. Castle says. Lancaster General Woman and LancasterGeneral.org will keep you informed about upcoming events for women.
Seven standards of excellence
Spirit of Women hospitals must meet or exceed seven performance guidelines focused on women’s services. New hospitals are required to meet a minimum of 50 percent of the standards within the first two years of membership, but Tanya says Lancaster General was already meeting those standards when it joined the Spirit of Women network this past summer.
The standards target the leading health issues for women and provide a framework for wellness and prevention that is guided by the national wellness platform of Healthy People 2010.
The seven standards a hospital must meet are:
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Community Assessment and Targeted Women’s Programming
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Life Stage Program Planning
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Diversity
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Strategic Alignment of Women’s Services
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Innovation in Outreach
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Quality Improvement
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Multidisciplinary Integration
“Our Spirit of Women hospitals are innovative in women’s healthcare initiatives,” Tanya says. “They aspire to meet and exceed these national standards and serve as a health advocate to women in the community. Lancaster General has been proactive in reaching out and getting involved with women’s health.”
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