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Press Releases

New Linear Accelerator at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Improving Cancer Care in Brooklyn

New Linear Accelerator at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Improving Cancer Care in Brooklyn

Dec 21, 2015

Brooklyn

Executive Director Ernest J. Baptiste of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County announced today that Kings County has improved its radiation oncology service for cancer patients with a new Varian Trilogy Linear Accelerator (“Linac”). Mr. Baptiste expressed the hospital’s gratitude to Council Member Mathieu Eugene for securing over $2.6 million in funding from the New York City Council for the new equipment and its installation, which will expand the scope of services offered to patients and reduce waiting times for treatment. The total project cost was $5.5 million.

HEI logo

Patient Aileen Rock is already
enjoying the benefits of NYC
Health + Hospitals/Kings
County’s new linear accelerator.

“This equipment will enable our clinical team to better diagnose conditions and evaluate a patient’s response to treatment more quickly and efficiently,” said Mr. Baptiste.”With two linear accelerators now located at Kings County we can improve the patient experience, expand access to care and reduce patient wait times. We are greatly appreciative of the City Council’s support.”
With the new Linac, Kings County will be able to expand the scope of services offered to cancer patients to include Image Guide Radiation Therapy (IGRT), Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). The hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department will also have the capability to treat over 200 additional patients per year.
The hospital held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new equipment on December 8, with Council Member Mathieu Eugene, Chief Medical Officer Ghassan Jamaleddine, MD; Chief Nursing Officer Opal Sinclair-Chung, RN; Chief of Radiation Oncology Emmanuel Nwokedi, MD; Chief of Radiology Steven Pulitzer, MD; and Chief Operating Officer Sheldon McLeod.
Dr. Nwokedi, Chief of Radiation Oncology, was especially moved by the impact that the state-of-the-art Varian Trilogy Linear Accelerator will have for his patients.
“Our family here in Radiation Oncology has labored arduously to provide unparalleled patient care,” he said. “I have seen our department grow and transform into a beacon of hope for thousands of patients suffering from a variety of malignancies. We are inspired by our patients’ will to fight for their lives. Now, we can enhance the quality of care with more targeted radiation treatment that limits the exposure of healthy cells.”
“The staff of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County are the people we should thank for the outstanding care they provide to this community,” said Council Member Eugene. “As one of only three Level 1 trauma centers in Brooklyn, they save the lives of people every day who might not make it otherwise. I was very proud to be an advocate to get funding for the new linear accelerator because Kings County will continue to be a leader in the battle against cancer. We deserve the best medical technology here in the heart of Brooklyn.”
Kings County oncology patient Aileen Rock, who has already been treated with the new linear accelerator, said, “Every day that I come here, I am happy to see the staff because they show so much compassion for me and give me hope for a bright future. After working for 40 years in the health care system, it was kind of a shock when I got my cancer diagnosis. Having this type of treatment here in Brooklyn means that I don’t need to travel to Manhattan for excellent care. I can get it right here in my community and Kings County has the best team of people.”


Contact:Adele Flateau, 718-245-3910

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County

NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County is a 627-bed facility that serves the communities of Central Brooklyn, East New York-New Lots and Flatbush. A teaching hospital, it is part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system. The hospital is a Level I Trauma Center for Adults and the only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in Brooklyn. It is a NYSDOH Designated AIDS Center; a Stroke Center; and has also been designated as a Center of Excellence for Diabetes and for Parkinson Disease. The hospital has played a major role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Brooklyn since 1831. For more information visit nychealthandhospitals.org/kingscounty.

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation with a network of 11 hospitals including six regional trauma centers, community-based health centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, and a correctional health services unit. The system includes a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlusHealth. The health system provides essential services to 1.2 million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the five boroughs. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees are uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. Visit nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected: https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter @NYCHealthSystem.