MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center announced that it has joined the WomenHeart National Hospital Alliance, a program of WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. The National Hospital Alliance is comprised of hospitals throughout the country who are committed to advancing women’s heart health.
Joining this alliance will ensure that Long Beach women with heart disease have access to information, education and patient support services. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in American women, and more women than men have died from heart disease since 1984.
“The WomenHeart National Hospital Alliance has tremendous resources and opportunities to further extend Long Beach Medical Center’s efforts to combat women’s heart disease in our local community,” says Peggy Gould, RN, BSN, Director, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Medical Center. “The Alliance offers wonderful women’s heart specific programs, educational support and activities which we use every day as we work with our patients.”
By joining the WomenHeart National Hospital Alliance, Long Beach Medical Center will now begin the process of developing a WomenHeart Support Network – the nation’s only peer led support network for women living with heart disease.
“WomenHeart is thrilled to welcome Long Beach Medical Center to the National Hospital Alliance,” said Mary E. McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of WomenHeart. “This membership represents a real commitment to advancing women’s heart health in Long Beach by teaming with WomenHeart to bring free education and support services to their women heart patients.”
Led by women with heart disease, who are trained at the annual WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic, these women and Long Beach Medical Center will partner in their local community to bring important messages of prevention, early and accurate diagnosis, and proper treatment to all women with regard to heart disease.
Additionally, WomenHeart provides NHA members with materials and resources developed by national leaders in women’s heart health, as well as ongoing training and technical assistance required to establish and maintain the post-discharge support network for women heart patients. Research shows that peer support is a critical component of helping women with their recovery and living with this chronic and often life-threatening condition.