NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Launches Women’s Heart Health Clinic
Largest public hospital in Queens aims to decrease gender disparities and improve heart health for women in the community
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst today announced that it has launched a Women’s Heart Health Institute, whose mission is to eliminate disparities and increase gender equity in cardiovascular health for female patients. The hospital’s Department of Cardiology treats approximately 7,000 patients annually, and around 30% are women. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. In addition, among women age 20 and older, 45% have cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for new mothers.
Elmhurst Hospital’s new Women’s Heart Health Institute seeks to provide more support for these patients through increased focus and research on how heart health impacts women, as well as individualized, comprehensive care for women patients aimed at improving outcomes. The Institute’s other services will include:
- Individualized cardiovascular care though laboratory testing and advanced imaging
- Interdisciplinary lifestyle, nutritional, rehabilitative and social support to improve cardiovascular outcomes
- Comprehensive pre-conception risk assessment and cardiovascular care throughout pregnancy
- Community partnerships and outreach campaigns to increase awareness about women’s cardiovascular disease
“We are thrilled to launch this much-needed program for women at our hospital,” said Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. “The neighborhoods we serve suffer from extremely high levels of cardiovascular disease, and women—our mothers, sisters, friends, and other loved ones, deserve to have better care to address this issue. Elmhurst has a vital role to play in improving cardiovascular care for the women in our beloved community.”
“We are excited to launch the Women’s Cardiovascular Institute at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst,” said Dr. Deborah Reynolds, Associate Director of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Cardiology Department. Heart disease in women in underrecognized and therefore undertreated by both healthcare providers and the community. Our team of providers can take care of heart issues from the initial office visit to the most critical moments.”.
“Women, when faced with critical heart moments, are less likely to receive care,” said Dr. Rosy Thachil, Director of Cardiac Intensive Care. “Women are less likely to receive bystander CPR during a cardiac arrest. Our Women’s Cardiovascular Institute focuses on raising awareness in our community about recognizing and responding to women’s cardiac emergencies.”
“Many times, women feel symptoms but don’t get evaluated because of so many reasons – not enough time; it passed and it was probably nothing; I’m too young for anything to be really wrong,” adds Dr. Gayatri Setia, Director of Preventive Cardiology. “Our Cardiovascular team will help explore symptoms and optimize heart health for our patients.”
“We are very happy to launch the Women’s Heart Health Institute and further advance our Women’s Heart health program to new heights through a comprehensive care model,” said Grace Ann Weick, ANP, Associate Executive Director Clinical Operations & Ancillary Services. “Access to care is a priority for our cardiologists, and we are proud of the collaborative care model we have developed to ensure a seamless follow-up process and improve patient outcomes.”
“Elmhurst Hospital is taking a critical step in fighting for the heart health for the women who mean everything to us—our mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers,” said Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, District 39. “For too long, women—especially women of color—have been overlooked in cardiovascular care, despite heart disease being their leading cause of death. This initiative is about dignity, equity, and saving lives, ensuring that every woman in our community receives the specialized care she deserves.”
For more information about this program or to schedule an appointment, please call 718-334-BEAT.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Atiya Butler, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, (917) 319-5167, butlerat@nychhc.org
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The 545-bed hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station, a Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Receiving Center, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center of Excellence and a 911-Receiving Hospital. It is a premiere health care organization for several specialties, including surgery, cardiology, women’s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, and mental health services. Last year, the hospital received close to 700,000 ambulatory care visits and over 130,000 emergency room visits. The hospital has been nationally-ranked and named as a “Best Regional Hospital” by US News & World Report, and has been noted for providing exceptional care in key areas, including Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Hip Fracture, Kidney Failure, Orthopedics, Pneumonia, and COPD. Stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ElmhurstHosp.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
