Editors’ Not

Stacey E. Rosen, MD is the Executive Director for Northwell’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health, the Partners Council Professor of Women’s Health and Professor of Cardiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Rosen is a leading expert in women’s cardiovascular disease and oversees women’s health services at Northwell with a focus on the elimination of healthcare disparities through comprehensive clinical programs, gender-based research, community partnerships and education. Dr. Rosen has been a practicing cardiologist for over 30 years. She co-authored the book, Heart Smarter for Women: Six Weeks to a Healthier Heart published in 2022 and co-produced the documentary Ms. Diagnosed which premiered at the Cinequest film festival in 2020. A longtime volunteer for the American Heart Association (AHA), Dr. Rosen will serve as the AHA President-elect beginning July 1, 2024. Dr. Rosen received the 2018 AHA Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award and, in 2021, she received the AHA’s Physician of the Year Award. She is also the 2023 recipient of the WomenHeart Wenger Award for Excellence in Medical Advocacy. Dr. Rosen graduated from the six-year medical program at Boston University School of Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians, and the AHA.

Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

I have been at Northwell Health for almost 30 years. I still have an active practice in cardiology, and I now oversee Northwell’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health. As you may know, the U.S. healthcare system was not designed by or for women. Historically, we always had a male model for healthcare and research that assumes women’s health is equal to men’s health, which is completely wrong. The Katz Institute for Women’s Health defines women’s health more broadly. There are conditions that are unique to women, such as reproductive and other gynecologic conditions, and certain conditions that are more common in women, such as autoimmune diseases and migraines. Also, there are diseases which manifest differently in women, like heart disease, and certain forms of lung cancer. We are focused on research, clinical care, and education around the unique health needs of women.

How closely is the Katz Institute for Women’s Health integrated within Northwell Health?

The Katz Institute amplifies, augments, and aligns the work of every department within Northwell. We have more than 800 medical professionals who are focused on women’s health, seamlessly integrated into our health system.

Has progress occurred when you look at addressing health disparities for women?

I am by nature an “impatient” cardiologist – although great strides have been made, I do not think we have come far enough. There has been progress over my 30-year career, however we have not done enough to improve health outcomes for women or adequately understand the importance of sex and gender on health. We are learning that we need to better support research in this area, identify ways to provide more focused clinical care, and partner with all communities for better health outcomes.

How important is it for the Katz Institute to take a comprehensive and integrated approach to women’s health?

This is a requirement. Our founding dean, Dr. Lawrence Smith reminded me that this comprehensive approach must begin with medical education and training that prioritizes sex and gender as foundational elements in how we practice medicine. The Katz Institute for Women’s Health prioritizes ongoing professional education for clinicians and researchers in these topics. We know that 80 percent of health outcomes are determined outside of a doctor’s office or hospitals. For this reason, we focus on community partnerships. When it comes to research, if we don’t ask the questions about these disparities, we are not going to have the answers. Additionally, clinical programs need to align around women’s evolving healthcare needs. All of these components are critical to get it right.

Will you discuss the strength and expertise of the team at the Katz Institute?

Healthcare is a team sport. We have over 800 clinical members and they are clinicians and researchers across every specialty – they are practicing doctors and nurses; they are investigators; they are therapists; they are radiologic technologists and so many other medical professionals. We also have what we call Katz Ambassadors. Northwell’s strength is its 86,000-plus team members and these are colleagues across the health system who partner with us to expand the mission. This team approach is critical to our success.

How critical are metrics to measure the impact of Katz Institute’s work?

Metrics are critical. At the end of the day, I am a clinician scientist who knows that data matters. Too frequently in the past, we failed to ask how outcomes were different between women and men, but we know the importance of establishing metrics and putting systems into place to better track and measure our work. It has to be nimble, and it has to be timely, since we can’t wait years to see and act on the data.

What has made your experience at Northwell so special for almost three decades?

I came to Northwell over 29 years ago, and it was just different. I have had the opportunity to work in so many exciting and dynamic areas of healthcare within Northwell. People often talk about culture, but you really need to be inside Northwell to experience it. Northwell’s culture is fearless, agile, and collaborative. It starts at the top with our CEO, Michael Dowling, and our entire leadership team. It is a true pleasure to work at such a mission-driven organization.

What do you tell young people about the types of careers the profession offers?

I cannot imagine a better profession than healthcare. I am always learning and intrigued – it is never boring. I have patients that I have cared for since I started practicing 30 years ago; they are part of my family. Then you get the aspect of science and discovery which is fascinating. There is no other profession like it.