January 19, 2007

WHA celebrates 20 years

Caregivers, patients and friends of MGH Women's Health Associates (WHA) — the first woman-focused, women-led primary care center at the MGH and in the country — joined together Jan. 11 to celebrate 20 years of serving the unique health care needs of women in the community. Almost 50 people gathered at the WHA, on the fourth floor of the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care, for mingling, refreshments, speeches and reminiscences about the two-decade blossoming of a practice — unheard-of at its inception — that originally operated out of a room so small "they had to take turns sitting," according to one longtime patient.

The WHA was founded in 1985 by a group of physicians led by Karen Carlson, MD, who believed that women's health meant more than simply gynecology and who were committed to providing a multidisciplinary approach to the health of women that focused on prevention and education as well as treatment. The center is recognized as a leader in women's health issues and served as a prototype for such centers nationwide. It provides primary care and preventive services to more than 10,000 women of all ages, races and walks of life — as well as to the occasional man.

Carlson, founding director of the WHA, was the evening's honoree and delivered the keynote address. She was introduced by Nancy Gagliano, MD, vice president of Practice Improvement and part-time WHA clinician. Gagliano spoke of the WHA's vision of "a place for a woman to get her entire care," and stood by the WHA's belief that "a woman is more than just someone with a health care need."

Two 20-year patients also spoke, describing the difference made in their lives by the high quality of care they received at WHA. Both patients, as well as Gagliano, spoke of Carlson as a clinician of caring, leadership and vision.

In her talk, Carlson celebrated the accomplishments of the center in providing care for women who may have felt discouraged by their previous health care experiences, stressing that the WHA's successes in making the MGH more "woman-friendly" were the result of hard work, technological innovation and especially collaboration among colleagues and departments. For Carlson, it was always a priority that WHA be "a good working environment for women." Gagliano echoed this statement, describing WHA as a place that "nurtures patients, staff and physicians."

After she spoke, Carlson was presented with an inscribed plaque on behalf of WHA to honor her 20 years of leadership and hard work.



Kathy Ulman, PhD, of WHA, Carlson and Mary Ellen Heike, RN, staff specialist for WHA