Bronx, NY - Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, a member of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR), a recognition given to breast imaging centers that have earned accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, and breast ultrasound. The center also received a three-year term Accreditation in Breast Ultrasound from the ACR after undergoing a rigorous review of personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control and other practice standards.

"ACR ultrasound accreditation and Center of Excellence designation demonstrates Lincoln Hospital's continued commitment to quality patient care and provides the competitive edge that is critical in today's marketplace," said Melissa Schori, M.D., Lincoln Hospital Medical Director.

The 2,800 square-foot Breast Imaging Center underwent a $600,000 modernization in the spring of 2010 and offers a larger and centralized location designed to improve efficiencies and workflow and maximize patient privacy and comfort. The services and procedures provided in the new imaging suite include mammography, ultrasound, biopsies and bone density studies. During the 2010 fiscal year, 9,544 mammograms were performed at the Breast Imaging Center.

"The Breast Imaging Center of Excellence provides the full spectrum of preventive care and diagnostic testing in a patient-centered environment," said Paul Moh, M.D., Chief of Radiology. "It is also a testimony of Lincoln Hospital's dedication to providing the highest quality of medical care to our community in a safe, friendly and comfortable setting."

"It is fitting that we make these announcements during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, when Lincoln Hospital joins other facilities around the city in holding events and providing information to educate the public about breast cancer prevention and the importance of mammograms," said Iris Jimenez Hernandez, Lincoln Hospital Executive Director and Sr. Vice President of Generations +/Northern Manhattan Health Network. "I congratulate the clinical leadership, nurses, ultrasound technicians, mammographers and x-ray technologists for their dedication to quality and their compassion for our patients. I encourage women to come to Lincoln Hospital's modernized women's imaging center to get their breast cancer screenings and any other procedure they need in order to stay healthy."

Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, located at 234 E. 149th Street in the Bronx, is a 347-bed, acute care level 1 trauma center with the busiest single site emergency department in the region. The hospital emphasizes primary care and specialty medicine and utilizes the latest advances in medical science. Lincoln Hospital is a member of the Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, a healthcare conglomerate which is part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated health care delivery system with its own 385,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal health care organization in the country. HHC serves 1.3 million New Yorkers every year and more than 450,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 80 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commissions John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc.

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