Both the Hadassah Medical Center and Hadassah in America understand that quality preventive health care for women requires treating not just a series of symptoms, but the complete woman whose body and needs change over a lifetime. The Hadassah Medical Center has four centers that focus specifically on women’s health and prioritize prevention.

• ThePatricia and Russell Fleischmann Women's Health Center includes a unique one-stop shop for comprehensive exams, as well as specialized life-stage clinics, focusing on adolescence, reproductive years, mid-life, and golden age. Each clinic has a research, medical, and socioeducational component, providing health information to the public.

The multidisciplinary one-stop clinic enables women to have every series of tests that their age and situation require--within one visit. They can also, during that visit, receive professional health advice from various medical specialists.

• The Marlene Greenebaum Multidisciplinary Diagnostic Breast Center takes a holistic approach, integrating breast cancer diagnostics, treatment, and research in a single location.

• The Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness Center for Women increases awareness of heart disease as the top cause of death and illness in women throughout Israel—but also as a disease that can be preventable through living a heart healthy lifestyle.

"Our goal," explains Dr. Donna Zfat‐Zwas, the Center's Director, is “to reach both women and health care providers. We have to put this issue on the radar screen of our medical and scientific colleagues. People in Israel think heart disease is a man's disease. Women don't have the awareness they need. “

• Hadassah’s Department of Diet and Nutrition provides specific information for women to help them maintain optimum health, including guidance regarding post-menopausal nutritional needs.

In the United States, Hadassah advocates for policymakers to increase their support for women’s health awareness and preventive health. Institute of Medicine recommendations for improving affordable preventive care for American women were implemented with the Affordable Care Act in 2011; many women, however, are unaware of the low/no-cost services available to them—for example, well-woman exams, mammography, breast cancer genetic counseling, and contraception.

• Hadassah advocates for the Women’s Preventive Health Awareness Campaign, sponsored by Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), which would create a national educational campaign to raise patient and provider awareness of women’s preventive health needs and opportunities.

• In 2015, Hadassah leaders held over 20 “Days in the District” across 9 states, visiting their legislators to secure support and co-sponsorships for the Women’s Preventive Health Awareness Campaign legislation.

Gender Equity:

Worldwide, medical research disproportionately focuses on men, despite the greater prevalence of some diseases in women. This disparity can lead to misdiagnosis and compromised care for women.

• Hadassah has taken the lead in advocating for gender equity in medical research with its GEM campaign. See my.hadassah.org/GEM.