At SRC, we recognize that women’s health is not one-size-fits-all—and that the surgical care women receive should reflect the complexity, individuality, and evolving needs of every patient. As we observe Women’s Health Awareness Month, SRC is proud to highlight the programs we have developed to promote safe, effective, and specialized care for women across a diverse spectrum of conditions and surgical needs.
The urgency to advance women’s healthcare standards is underscored by persistent disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and research. For example, women with endometriosis wait, on average, between seven and ten years to receive an accurate diagnosis (Endometriosis Foundation of America, n.d.). In the 2022 KFF Women’s Health Survey, they found that 29% of participants reported that healthcare providers have dismissed or minimized their symptoms (KFF, 2022). Another study found that 1 in 2, or 50% of participants, reported that they felt their pain was disregarded or overlooked by their provider (GOV.UK, 2022).
The challenges extend beyond diagnostic delays. A majority—84%—of women from a UK study reported that they or a woman they knew were not listened to by healthcare professionals, (GOV.UK, 2022). Additionally, women account for 70% of chronic pain sufferers, yet 80% of pain studies have historically been conducted on male subjects, leading to significant gaps in effective pain management (Harvard Health, 2017). Representation in clinical research remains inadequate as well; women constitute only 22% of participants in phase one clinical trials, contributing to a continued lack of understanding of women’s unique healthcare needs (Gavi, 2025).
SRC is committed to addressing these disparities through our accreditation programs, which are designed to set and uphold the highest standards in surgical care. Current programs focusing on women’s health include:
- Breast Treatment
- Complex Endometriosis Care
- Multidisciplinary Endometriosis Care
- Continence Care for Women
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Minimally Invasive Gynecology
- Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
- Robotic Surgery
- Women’s Integrated Surgical Health (COEWISH)
Each of these programs is grounded in SRC’s rigorous standards for quality, patient safety, and continuous improvement, ensuring that accredited providers meet high-volume benchmarks and adhere to best practices derived from current evidence.
Too often, women encounter fragmented care pathways, limited access to specialized services, and prolonged diagnostic journeys. SRC is committed to expanding our women’s health offerings and collaborating with healthcare providers globally who share our mission to improve outcomes and patient experiences. Our accredited providers do not merely meet existing standards—they establish new benchmarks in the field.
For instance, conditions such as urinary incontinence are frequently mischaracterized as inevitable consequences of aging or childbirth. However, in our recent webinar on Continence Care for Women, SRC-accredited providers Dr. Jason Kim and Dr. Faris Abushamma, alongside SRC inspector Shelly Toon, offered expert perspectives on effective, evidence-based treatments for urinary continence issues. Their discussion underscores how accreditation empowers facilities to deliver superior care for conditions that have long been marginalized.
Similarly, endometriosis remains one of the most misunderstood and underdiagnosed conditions in women’s health. Our video spotlight on Endometriosis Care features SRC-accredited providers addressing pervasive myths, diagnostic delays, and the critical need for specialized treatment. Their insights demonstrate how SRC’s accreditation model is elevating standards and improving outcomes for affected patients.
Patients themselves are increasingly recognizing and valuing these elevated standards. One patient reflected:
“As a nurse, it was a comfort to see the SRC accreditation and know I could trust the facility for my daughter’s hip replacement.”
Whether managing routine procedures or addressing complex conditions, women and their families deserve care that is safe, effective, and patient-centered. This Women’s Health Awareness Month, we celebrate the SRC-accredited providers who are delivering such care, and we reaffirm our commitment to expanding programs worldwide that support the full spectrum of women’s surgical health needs.
Are you a provider interested in learning more about achieving SRC Accreditation? Fill out our Accreditation Interest Form.
If you’re a patient looking for high-quality care near you, use our Find A Provider tool to locate an SRC-accredited provider near you.
References
Endometriosis Foundation of America. (n.d.). Endometriosis facts and statistics. Retrieved from https://www.endofound.org/faq
Gavi. (2025). Women and clinical trials: Closing the gender gap in research. Retrieved from https://www.gavi.org
Department of Health and Social Care. (2022, April 13). Results of the ‘Women’s Health – Let’s talk about it’ survey. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/womens-health-strategy-call-for-evidence/outcome/3fa4a313-f7a5-429a-b68d-0eb0be15e696
Kiesel, L. (2017, October 9). Women and pain: Disparities in experience and treatment. Harvard Health Blog. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-and-pain-disparities-in-experience-and-treatment-2017100912562
Long, M., Frederiksen, B., Ranji, U., Diep, K., & Salganicoff, A. (2023, February 22). Women’s experiences with provider communication and interactions in health care settings: Findings from the 2022 KFF Women’s Health Survey. KFF. https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/womens-experiences-with-provider-communication-interactions-health-care-settings-findings-from-2022-kff-womens-health-survey/
