Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center

The Women’s Heart Center encourages women of all ages to be proactive about their heart health.

Prioritizing Women's Heart

The Saint Luke's Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center is the first center of its kind in the United States to take a proactive role in addressing women’s heart health. Established in 1994, the center operated as a program within Saint Luke’s Hospital. After receiving a generous gift from Julia Irene Kauffman in 2004, the new center was unveiled and named in honor of her mother, Muriel I. Kauffman.

The Women’s Heart Center provides health education, offers screenings, and leads national research on women’s heart health and disease prevention. The center is nationally recognized as a leader in advocacy for women, their families, and their health.

Recognition & Awards

Our team has had the privilege of meeting, working with, and being recognized by passionate leaders across the country, who have also contributed to the advancement of women’s heart health awareness.    

  • Recognition at two White House receptions for our pioneering efforts in women's heart health
  • Recipient of the Inaugural Woman’s Day Red Dress Award
  • Recognition as a partner with the CDC Million Hearts Initiative, a program designed to help save lives through education on lowering blood pressure and reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease
  • Founding partner of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Heart Truth Campaign, a national lifesaving campaign to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease in women
  • Founding partner of WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease in Washington, D.C.
  • Leader as a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association
  • Founding partner of the Food as Medicine Institute Alliance

Location

Saint Luke’s Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center
4401 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone: 816-932-5784


Assessments & Programs

Wellness Assessments
The best weapons women can use in the fight against heart disease are education and awareness. Consider these packages to assess your heart’s health.

Food as Medicine Everyday
This program introduces people to the healing power of whole foods as medicine.

The Red Dress
The Red Dress is the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. We educate our community all year long at various events, with this symbol front and center.

The Red Scarf
Donate a handmade Red Scarf to show support, comfort, and encouragement for hospitalized women with heart disease.

Pathway to Purpose
Our volunteers with heart disease support women newly diagnosed with heart conditions.


Unique Hearts

Heart disease affects both men and women. While both genders share some symptoms and risks, in many cases, women and men face very different factors and issues when it comes to heart health. Learn how women’s hearts are unique.

Heart attack symptoms in women

Heart conditions in pregnancy

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD)

Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA)

Cancer treatment

Autoimmune diseases

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)


Research

The Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center is known for its innovative cardiovascular care and outcomes research. Currently, we are spearheading and participating in research registries in the following areas:

iSCAD Registry
The SCAD Alliance is leading the advancement of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) research by sponsoring the multicenter iSCAD Registry; which generates collaboration among professionals, disseminates science, and educates key audiences.

The HOPE Registry
The HOPE Registry will collect and study the data necessary to better understand maternal heart disease and improve outcomes for pregnant women with heart conditions.

Meet our team

  • Tracy Stevens, MD, Medical Director
  • Marcia McCoy, RN, MSN, Director
  • Anna Grodzinsky, MD, Research Clinical Scholar
  • Carmen Butcher, RN, BSN, Heart Wellness Coordinator
  • Grace Hoffman, Nutrition Health Coordinator
  • Benetta Blackburn, Administrative Assistant 

Feedback

Questions and comments welcome by calling 816-932-5624 or emailing mmccoy@saintlukeskc.org.

News

Jun. 23, 2022
Saint Luke’s Profile: Marcia McCoy, RN, MSN
A local pioneer in women's heart health achieves a career milestone at Saint Luke’s.
Feb. 10, 2021
KCTV: Heart health risk factors on the rise amid pandemic
KCTV talked to Dr. Tracy Stevens about what people can do to combat concerning risk factors amid the pandemic and take ownership of their health.
Aug. 17, 2020
KCTV: Doctors say it's more important than ever to monitor your blood pressure from home
People with uncontrolled high blood pressure have a great risk for getting COVID-19, as well as other serious health issues. KCTV talked to Dr. Tracy Stevens about why it's more important than ever to monitor your blood pressure from home.
May. 26, 2020
Saint Luke’s News: Doctors seeing more patients with high blood pressure amid coronavirus pandemic
Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure, but as the coronavirus pandemic adds stress to everyday life, doctors are noticing even higher numbers across the board. Dr. Tracy Stevens explains what you can do to lower your blood pressure.
KCTV 5 News. Aging in Style. Empowering heart health in women.
Feb. 12, 2020
KCTV: Empowering heart health in women
Heart disease the number one cause of death in women, but many wrongly assume it's only older women who are at risk. KCTV talked to Dr. Tracy Stevens about risk factors for women in this week's Aging in Style segment.
Better Kansas City. Dr. Tracy Stevens talking to Belinda Post on Better Kansas City.
Feb. 10, 2020
Better Kansas City: Preventing heart disease in women
Heart disease claims more women's lives each year than all cancers combined, yet it is 95% preventable. Dr. Tracy Stevens shares what steps women can take to reduce their risk on Better Kansas City.
LIVE clear complete coverage: Happening Today: National Wear Red for Women Day, 41 Action News - KSHB.com
Feb. 7, 2020
Media Coverage: National Wear Red Day raises awareness for the number one killer of women - heart disease
The first Friday of February is National Wear Red for Women Day. It's a day aimed to raise awareness for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for women.
Going Red for Women - KCTV5 News - New at 4:00
Feb. 7, 2020
Media Coverage: Saint Luke's Pathway to Purpose volunteers deliver red scarves to patients with heart disease
The first Friday of February is Wear Red for Women Day. It's a day aimed to raise awareness for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for women.