Rounds Preview: Innovations in Women's Health

The clinical integration link between those horizontal pods is a navigator model, specifically a staffed resource center that acts as a single phone number for women to call with any questions, Mieres says. The center is staffed by three full-time navigators and backed up by nurses and physicians when the clinical complexity requires a higher level of expertise.

"You call one number, and we can help you connect to anyone within our system, any service line, to deal with your complaints," Mieres says. "We women all have busy lives. Women want to be able to do one-stop shopping, so that's what we're trying to provide." The navigators ask basic questions about the health issue, and then guide the patient toward specific services, so, for example, a patient seeking information on a hip or knee replacement can get a first or second consult with one of the orthopedic surgeons who specialize in gender-specific aspects of the procedure, Mieres says.

This article appears in the July 2012 issue of HealthLeaders magazine.

Reprint HLR0712-9