Other Clinical Services

While the Fish Center is the largest clinical site for the Division, the clinical activity and clinical research opportunities are integrated in other areas of the institution.  Below is a description of interdisciplinary collaborative programs that have been developed jointly by the Connors Center and the chiefs of other divisions/departments.  These programs advance the quality of care and education, build upon research opportunities and faculty areas of expertise, and are integrated in the other four areas of strategic priority for BWH – cancer, cardiovascular, neurosciences, and orthopedics/arthritis.

The Center for Cardiovascular Disease in Women works to improve and maintain the cardiovascular health of women and their families through excellence in clinical care, research, patient and provider education, and community outreach and advocacy.  The clinical programs focus on prevention and treatment of heart disease that combine the most up-to-date findings and procedures with an approach that treats women in the context of their lives.  New programs developed in the past several years by the Division of Women’s Health and the Division of Cardiology include the Program for Arrhythmias and Women specializing in diagnosing and treating abnormal heart rhythms in women, especially those that are more common in women, and the Women’s Interventional Cardiology Diagnostic Health Program, which has implemented new testing protocols in the diagnosis of women with previously unexplained chest pain, using intravascular ultrasound to help to diagnose conditions which are more prevalent in women, such as diffuse artery narrowing or disease of the small vessel.  These programs are based at the Shapiro Center.  Dr. Paula Johnson is also working with the Division of Cardiology and the Department of OB/GYN on a program focused on pregnant women with serious heart disease and complications.

The Women’s Lung Cancer Program, led by Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD, a thoracic surgeon, in partnership with Francine Jacobson, MD, a thoracic radiologist, was developed by the Connors Center, the Department of Thoracic Surgery, and Dana Farber Cancer Institute as an innovative interdisciplinary program for women with and at risk of lung cancer.  With lung cancer being the second leading cause of death among women, this program includes a focus on the effectiveness of screening protocols for women at high risk for lung cancer, sex differences in response to treatment and outcomes and addressing the particular needs of women diagnosed with lung cancer.  The program continues to work closely with the Connors Center, and based on its success has moved from its original home in the Fish Center for Women’s Health to expanded space at Faulkner Hospital and the main campus.

The Women’s Orthopedic and Joint Disease Center is led by Dr. Elinor Mody, Division of Rheumatology, along with Dr. Carolyn Becker, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, an expert in osteoporosis; Dr. Susan Haden, Director of Endocrinology at the Fish Center; Dr. Jennifer Baima, a physiatrist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a focus on sports medicine in women; and a number of physicians in Orthopedics.  The program focuses on areas where women are at particular risk, and includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and education.  The Center is also working with the BWH Physical Therapy department, which in addition to developing new services in conjunction with the Center has expertise in pelvic floor issues in women.  There are plans currently underway to expand the work of this Center to Foxboro.

The Women and Neurology Program was jointly developed by the Division of Women’s Health and the Department of Neurology, was launched in AY2008 with an interdisciplinary research group and a clinical program based at the Fish Center.  The program has continued to grow with the addition of a fellow focused on headache in women, and with the recent recruitment of experienced physician and researcher Dr. Page Pennell, a national expert in epilepsy in pregnancy.  

In collaboration with Dr. Larry Shulman at DFCI, the Division is working on implementing and evaluating a joint, interdisciplinary Breast Cancer Survivorship Program. The program is designed to improve coordination of care between oncologists and primary care physicians and improve the quality and efficiency of care for survivors.  This is a first of its kind collaboration in survivorship care between BWH and DFCI.

In addition to the programs above, that are focused clinically at BWH, the Connors Center has also initiated a study focused on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in women with gestational diabetes, and has worked closely with the Department of Radiology to address the scope of services and quality measures for mammography, ultrasound and bone density services at the Brigham Ambulatory Care Center at 850 Boylston Street.