Standing in the lobby of the new Rowan Women’s Health Center are, from left, Joanne Stone, MD, Francesco Callipari, MD, and Anna Barbieri, MD.
When the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women’s Health and Wellness opens in May, Mount Sinai plans to do more than unveil a new facility. The objective is to revolutionize how women experience care—especially during the often-overlooked stages of midlife and menopause.
Located at East 99th Street and Madison Avenue, the Rowan Women’s Health Center will unite specialists across disciplines—gynecology, cardiology, endocrinology, behavioral health, nutrition, orthopedics, pelvic floor therapy, and more—under one roof. The goal is to replace the fragmented, difficult-to-navigate appointment landscape many women face with a seamless, integrated experience that guides each patient through coordinated, evidence-based care tailored to her as a whole person.
“Our patients won’t have to explain their story again and again,” said Anna Barbieri, MD, one of the Center’s founding leaders. “Every provider they meet is part of a connected team that already knows them, their goals, and their plan.”
Closing Gaps in Care
The Rowan Women’s Health Center was conceived to address a long-standing gap in women’s healthcare. For many women—particularly during perimenopause, menopause, and later life—care is often fragmented, scattered across multiple specialties with little coordination. Even as research advances, these logistical struggles create a barrier to integrated care for hormonal, cardiovascular, metabolic, and emotional well-being.
“Women deserve care that reflects the full complexity of their lives and bodies,” said Joanne Stone, MD, Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at Mount Sinai. “At the Center, we’re redefining what comprehensive care looks like—bringing together the best of medical science and integrative wellness in one coordinated experience.”
Guided, Integrated Care
At the heart of the Center’s approach is MyPath, a series of guided care experiences that organize services around specific areas of women’s health, such as hormonal and cardiometabolic wellness, postpartum recovery, and surgical transitions.
Rather than navigating multiple referrals and follow-up calls, patients will work with care teams who coordinate across specialties. A woman managing menopause symptoms, for example, will also be able to address her heart, metabolic, bone health, and mental health, while someone recovering postpartum will be referred to pelvic floor therapy, nutrition counseling, and emotional wellness support—all within a single, connected environment.
“It’s a new level of care coordination that truly puts women at the center,” Dr. Barbieri said.
The Center will unite specialists across disciplines, with the goal of replacing the fragmented, difficult-to-navigate appointment landscape many women face with a seamless, integrated experience that guides each patient through coordinated, evidence-based care tailored to her as a whole person.
Educating and Empowering Women
Studies show that many women enter perimenopause or menopause without the information or guidance they need. Nationally, only about half seek medical support, and many describe the experience as confusing or stigmatized.
The Rowan Women’s Health Center plans to address that gap through both care and education. Public programs, expert talks, and a new podcast, HERology hosted by the Center’s co-leaders, will explore topics ranging from hormonal and sexual health to mental well-being, bone strength, and longevity.
“Knowledge is empowering,” said Leslee Shaw, PhD, Director of the Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute, and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a leading expert in women’s cardiovascular health. “By sharing insights from science and clinical experience, we will help women feel informed, confident, and in control of their health choices.”
A Model for the Future
As the first center of its kind located in New York City, the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women’s Health and Wellness at the Mount Sinai Health System will become a model for how women’s health is delivered nationwide. Its multidisciplinary structure, guided care pathways, and strong emphasis on education and prevention reflect a growing movement to view women’s health as lifelong, interconnected, and central to innovation in medicine.
“Women’s health is entering a new era,” said Dr. Barbieri. “The Center is part of a larger shift to elevate the standard of care—to treat women not as an afterthought in medicine, but as the foundation of health innovation.”