Spirit of Women President Speaks to Future Women Surgeons - Cutting Through Centuries of Gender Exclusion and Prejudice

BOCA RATON, Fla., June 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Spirit Health Networks' President and Chief Vision Officer, Tanya Abreu, is honored to be the keynote speaker at the 4^th Annual International Women in Surgery Symposium in San Francisco this week. The symposium, founded by Sharona B. Ross, M.D., is designed to promote both personal and professional growth as well as foster mentorship for current and future women in surgery.

Ms. Abreu's talk, "The Power to Cut Through: Women, Drama, and the Future of Medicine," will focus on the specific issues facing women in surgery, a career traditionally dominated by men, and how to help strengthen women's resolve to make a difference in the future progress of medicine.

Abreu explains, "One of the mysteries of medicine -- from the Greco-Roman times to the Renaissance to our own modern times -- is how women, who have always been half of the human population, have not been half of medical research, medical practitioners, or even half of all patients treated." Ms. Abreu details further, "Even Leonardo da Vinci, who in the 16^th century mastered an amazingly realistic understanding of the human form and function, was perplexed and inaccurate in his renderings of the female body. This is unacceptable in 2013. In the U.S. today, healthcare is a business of which 80% of care is provided by women to women who also make upwards of 85% of healthcare decisions for their families."

Spirit Health Networks and Spirit of Women^® recognize that women are the gatekeepers of family health drives. This knowledge drives its mission to improve hospital business while advancing the cause of women's health. Spirit of Women impacts the healthcare industry not only by supporting those delivering healthcare as physicians, but those becoming leaders in the practice and art of medicine.

The 2013 Annual Women in Surgery Symposium will bring current and future leaders in women's healthcare and surgery together at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on June 7^th-9^th to discuss the importance of women becoming not just leaders in medicine, but in surgery. Ms. Abreu feels privileged to be a part of such an important event. "It is time for women to take their place as leaders in the healthcare industry and for the purpose of our symposium here in San Francisco. It is time for women to pick up the surgical knife and cut through centuries of gender exclusion and prejudice."

Spirit of Women is grateful to be recognized as a unique, gender-based program which supports specialty women's healthcare in the U.S., both for and by women.

Spirit of Women provides innovative, comprehensive and market-ready programs that boost hospital service line volumes, physician and patient loyalty by focusing on women as the primary healthcare consumer and decision maker. Spirit of Women hospitals educate, entertain and motivate women to seek better healthcare for themselves and their families. For more information on the impact of Spirit of Women on the U.S. healthcare industry, contact Tanya Abreu, President and Chief Vision Officer, Spirit Health Networks at [email protected].

SOURCE Spirit of Women Health Network