There have been many women who pioneered a path to success in medicine for other women to follow. And because of that, you see more women working in health care than ever before. A medical facility that recently opened its doors in Albany is now proving why the future of health care is women.

When you walk into Akira Medical Imaging and Wellness, you notice there is something a little different.

“Sometimes women feel anxious before certain type of medical appointments, so [we wanted to make] sure they feel calm and comfortable in a spa-like environment," said Akira Marketing Manager Takara Wiles.

That’s because this medical diagnostics facility was designed with women in mind.

“It’s nice to be able to help women because this is such a sensitive type of study," said Manager and Mammography Technologist Gina Lundberg.

This new landscape reflects the evolution of women in medicine and the care women receive.

“Especially in these types of facilities where the majority of the patients are women, so [we] want someone who understands women," said Akira Facility Manager Denise Morford.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there’s been an uptick in women studying, working and providing medical care. However, historically, it’s been an uphill battle. From Elizabeth Blackwell on the front lines, becoming the first woman in the U.S. to earn her medical degree in 1849, to Henrietta Lacks, who played an integral part behind the scenes as the woman whose cells were pivotal in groundbreaking cancer research.

Still, more work needs to be done. A National Institute of Health report found that women are still trending towards making $2 million less than men over the next few decades.

“I think it's the biggest thing: that women feel, heard, seen, and that their health care matters, and that more women wanted to be treated by people like them,” said Wiles.