Barbara Ducatman, M.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Pathology
Director, WVU Center of Excellence
in Women's Health
Phone: (304) 293-3212
Fax: (304) 293-1627
E-mail: bducatman@hsc.wvu.edu

Clinical Services Contact: (304) 598-4880

West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences is proud to be one of 20 nationally-designated Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health. This designation is awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHS) Office of Women’s Health. WVU joins institutions such as the Harvard University, University of California, Los Angeles; Boston University Medical Center; and the University of Illinois at Chicago, among others. More than prestige, the designation reflects the quality and scope of care, research, and education we offer at WVU and gives us an opportunity to build on that foundation and enrich the lives of the women in West Virginia.

The West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health (CoE) will provide comprehensive health care for women, promote research in women’s health issues, educate our new generation of health care providers to understand and treat women’s special health care needs, develop future women leaders in academic health care, and reach out to improve the health and well-being of West Virginia women… and ultimately all West Virginians.

The CoEWH model includes a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated women centered program in five key areas (components):

1. Community Outreach
2. Leadership development and mentoring
3. Professional education (especially incorporating allied health professionals
4. Clinical Care
5. Gender based research

West Virginia University’s (WVU) Robert C Byrd Health Sciences Center is in a unique position to reverse the bleak statistics of WV women’s health status. WV ranks 48/51 of the fifty states and DC. WVU has the proximity to the rural underserved population and the leadership, the history of strong community partnerships and the visibility to make a state-wide difference as the flagship teaching, research, and clinical education institution.

West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences wishes to use this national designation to help work towards the 26 health promotion focused goals of the WV Healthy People 2010. We propose to create a statewide infrastructure that is community driven, and intended to promote positive lifestyle changes at the individual, community and statewide level.

Our Vision

We will be one of the top 25 providers of women’s health in the United States. We will improve the health of the women of West Virginia and ultimately all west Virginians. The West Virginia University, Robert C. Byrd Health Science National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health will provide holistic (physical, spiritual and mental) health care to the women of West Virginia. We will be the number
one resource, to women and all leaders in health care in the state of West Virginia.

Our Mission

The CoEWH will improve the well-being of all women across the lifespan through education, research, clinical care, community partnerships and promotion of leadership by women in academic health professions.

Our Goals

• To bring the National Designation to communities across the state to help focus attention and direct resources to improve the health and well-being of all West Virginians by leading women to healthy living.
  1. by enhancing women’s knowledge about their health and ways to improve.
  2. by inspiring women to improve their health and the health of their families through enhanced physical activities, nutrition and motivational outreach activities.
• To establish distinct geographic locations for both the hub and the community women’s heath care satellites. (WVU, Marshall, Osteopathic School, etc) with the purpose of establishing a reciprocating relationship between a central CoEWH hub and the community sites to maximize women’s health care, wellness foci, and policy evolution.
• To be among the top women’s rural health care education institutions in the country in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health.
• To increase the numbers of health care providers across the state primarily in rural areas.
• To occupy distinct clinic space for CoEWH health clinics
• To do these things through meeting the goals of the National Centers of Excellence through outreach, training, research, leadership development and clinical integration.
• To make an appointment with a Health Care Provider please call 304-598-4880