“The first time a woman gets distinguished from a man for her health care needs is in adolescence,” says Katarina Lannér-Cusin, M.D., medical director of Women’s Services. “Her body starts to change, and so does her outer life.” During adolescence, social pressures ramp up, and girls can become prone to eating disorders. Alta Bates Summit’s Behavioral Health Center of Excellence offers the East Bay’s only full-spectrum eating disorder program, called Hope at Herrick, which provides an array of recovery services, including psychiatric consultations, nutrition therapy, and support groups.

Also at this stage of life, many girls become more active in sports, perhaps competing on their high school soccer or basketball team. If a young woman gets injured—knee ailments, particularly to the anterior cruciate ligament, are common—she can turn to Alta Bates Summit’s Orthopedic Center of Excellence, one of the largest orthopedic service centers in the East Bay, offering everything from minimally invasive surgery to comprehensive rehabilitation.