Abstract. Between 1996 and 1999, 18 academic health centers were awarded the designation of National Center of Excellence (CoE) in Women's Health by the Office on Women's Health within the Department of Health and Human Services and were provided with seed monies to develop model clinical services for women. Although the model has evolved in various forms, core characteristics that each nationally designated CoE has adopted include comprehensive, women-friendly, women-focused, women-relevant, integrated, multidisciplinary care. The permanent success of these comprehensive clinical programs resides in the ability to garner support of leaders of the academic health centers who understand both the importance of multidisciplinary programs to the clinical care they provide women and the education they offer to the future providers of women's healthcare.

Reprinted with permission from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine, 2001 Vol 10 No 7, pp 627-636.) Single copies of this article may be downloaded for personal research and study.

Current as of May 2004