Women’s Health

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The Women’s Health Group at Boston Medical Center, established in 1985, was one of the first in the nation to focus exclusively on the unique health care needs of women. We believe in the concept of women caring for women, and actively seek a relationship with you based on respect, trust and understanding. We encourage your active participation in your own health care. We are located in Boston Medical Center’s beautiful Shapiro Center in Boston’s historic South End.

Center of Excellence in Women's Health
Our Approach
Breast Health Program

Center of Excellence

In 1997, the US Department of Health and Human Services recognized the practice as a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health, a model for best practices in caring for women. We are one of only 21 such centers in the nation, and among the first to be so recognized.

 
Our practice provides full preventive
health services to patients including
same day screenings, mammography
and bone densitometry, all in the
same building.

Our Approach

Our multidisciplinary team approach emphasizes preventive care and emotional well being. While we serve women of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, we focus especially on the needs of women in Boston's underserved communities.

Each patient in our practice selects a primary care provider from the internists and nurse practitioners on site. These primary care providers all have demonstrated training beyond their traditional field of expertise, ensuring the incorporation of ambulatory, gynecologic care, mental health screening, and assessment for interpersonal violence, for example, into routine health care.

Your primary care provider is supported by specialists in other relevant clinical fields. Mental health needs are addressed by two licensed clinical psychologists who practice in the same locale and who provide consultation and promote ready coordination of mental and medical health care services. Similarly, gynecology consultation is available on a same day basis from members of the department of obstetrics and gynecology, either from within the Women's Health Group practice site or from the Gynecology department of BMC.

We offer personalized primary care for a broad spectrum of health problems and easy access to the best specialists at Boston Medical Center when necessary. 

Within the Women's Health Group is the specialized Breast Health Group, part of Boston Medical Center's comprehensive Breast Health Program. We offer complete screening and diagnostic services, including assessment of high risk women, assessment of abnormal clinical breast exams and imaging; fine needle and core biopsies; and, ongoing primary care needs for survivors of breast cancer.

Grant funding from the Massachusetts Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure supports our part-time Haitian Breast Health Educator. Haitian women with abnormal screening results are referred to the Haitian Breast Health Educator for assistance with understanding their condition and treatment options, and ensuring that providers understand the patients’ needs and preferences for care. She helps patients to overcome logistical and cultural barriers to accessing screening, diagnostic and treatment services. This comprehensive care – from screening to treatment options and support services – will result in improved follow-up with more women undergoing and finishing treatment.