Mary McGowan
WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, USA
Title: WomenHeart National Hospital Alliance: Supporting Women Living With Heart Disease Nationwide
Biography
Biography: Mary McGowan
Abstract
WomenHeart is the only patient-centered organization solely devoted to improving the healthy and quality of life of the 42.7 million American women living with and at risk for heart disease. We have thousands of members, including women heart patients and their families, health care providers, advocates and consumers committed to helping women live longer, healthier lives. We provide an array of support programs for women nationwide, including our 110 local Support Networks in 40 states, each led by trained women heart patient volunteers – WomenHeart Champions. Support Networks meet monthly at National Hospital Alliance (NHA) member hospitals. rnrnThe NHA, comprised of 40 hospitals, is the nation’s only partnership program between WomenHeart and progressive hospitals across the country committed to advancing women’s heart health and gender specific cardiovascular care in their communities. This valuable alliance gives women heart patients leverage to improve their own lives, which results in better patient outcomes and lower readmission rates. Through the NHA, WomenHeart supports the trained WomenHeart Champions and provides an educational curriculum for their Support Network meetings. Additionally, we work with the hospitals' clinicians to improve their continuing education with quarterly webinars and media and co-branding opportunities. In 2015, WomenHeart launched its NHA Capacity Building Program, giving grants to hospitals who could otherwise not afford the membership in order to reach women heart patients in underserved communities. Our next step is to further expand the NHA by using predictive analysis to target hospitals that show high rates of readmission for specific heart conditions. rn