Press releases

Released January 15, 2004
Yale-New Haven Hospital news release

Good Housekeeping selects Yale-New Haven Heart Center as one of the best for women

For more information, call 203-688-2493 or E-mail Mark D'Antonio

The Yale-New Haven Heart Center was selected as one of the best cardiac centers for women in the United States, according to the February 2004 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. Good Housekeeping, working with Castle Connolly, the publishers of the popular guide America’s Top Doctors, identified the 44 best heart centers for women around the country. The Yale-New Haven Heart Center was the only site in Connecticut to be listed.

"We’re very proud that Good Housekeeping recognized Yale-New Haven Heart Center for its dedicated care to women with cardiac problems," said Fairfield resident Gail D’Onofrio, M.D., Emergency Department physician and Medical Director of the Women’s Heart Advantage program.

"Women may exhibit different heart attack symptoms than men and often delay in seeking treatment concerning these warning signs, so we have become very proactive about getting this message out," Dr. D’Onofrio pointed out. "I believe Good Housekeeping also chose us for our excellent care and treatment. The Yale-New Haven Heart Center has a long history of cardiac firsts and that translates into better outcomes for the women who come to us for care."

The Yale-New Haven Heart Center has achieved recent notoriety for launching the Women’s Heart Advantage (WHA) program, an educational campaign directed towards women and physicians that heart attacks are the number-one cause of death for women. The program debuted at Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH) in 2001 and has now expanded to over 200 hospitals nationwide. The overall goal of the WHA program is to promote the cardiovascular health of women and to improve the overall outcomes for women with heart disease.

Since launching the WHA program in Connecticut, consumer studies have shown significant increases in women’s awareness and knowledge of heart disease. Recent surveys show that the number of women who completed a heart assessment between 2001 and 2003 almost doubled, increasing from 11 percent to 21 percent. In addition, the number of women admitted to YNHH who came to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain more than doubled during that time. Not only did more women come to the ED when they had chest pain, but they got there much more quickly than in the past. Before the WHA program began, only 36% of women with chest pain got to the ED in less than 6 hours. Two years later, that number has increased to 55%.

"We want women to know their individual risks for heart disease and how to modify their lifestyles or obtain necessary treatment," concluded Dr. D’Onofrio.

The February 2004 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine also includes articles on women's heart health, a risk assessment quiz, a description of a comprehensive heart exam, health advice and information about recent "crucial breakthroughs, from smarter tests to cheaper pills."

Yale-New Haven Hospital is a 944-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine. Yale-New Haven was founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826 and today, the hospital complex includes Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital and Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, with a combined medical staff of about 2,400 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties.

Reporters: For more information, call 203-688-2493 or E-mail Mark D'Antonio.

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