CarePoint Health - Hoboken University Medical Center Awarded American College Of Radiology Designation As Lung Cancer Screening Center

HUDSON COUNTY, N.J., Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CarePoint Health, a fully integrated healthcare system that provides quality, patient-focused healthcare to residents of the Hudson County region, today announced that CarePoint Health –Hoboken University Medical Center has been named an American College of Radiology (ACR) designated center for lung cancer screening.   This designation makes it the fourth facility in Hudson County (two of the other three being CarePoint Health – Christ Hospital and CarePoint Health – Bayonne Medical Center) to receive this designation.  CarePoint Health is still the only system in Hudson County to have all of its hospitals offer certified lung cancer screening.  The designation recognizes organizations for meeting the highest standards in providing safe and effective diagnostic care for individuals at the highest risk for lung cancer.  

"This designation further affirms CarePoint Health's dedication to providing superior healthcare services to the nearly 300,000 people who come through our doors each year," said Dr. Nizar Kifaieh, CarePoint Health Chief Medical Officer. "Lung cancer screening has been shown to significantly reduce death associated with the disease.  As we continue to expand the use of this diagnostic tool, with our third accredited center in Hudson County, CarePoint Health continues to work toward the goal of ensuring long and healthy lives for Hudson County residents.  As the only system in Hudson County to have all of its hospitals offer accredited lung cancer screening, CarePoint has once again shown that we will continue to put our patients first by offering quality care, close to home."

"Receiving this designation is a testament to the exceptional care provided here at CarePoint Health – Hoboken University Medical Center," said Dr. Meika Roberson, CarePoint Health – Hoboken University Medical Center, Chief Medical Officer. "Improving public health by promoting preventive care and regular screenings help us to continue to build a healthier community.  I commend Dr. Vivek Masson and the entire Department of Radiology for this amazing milestone and for the efforts they put forth every day to make CarePoint Health – Hoboken University Medical Center the best place to receive care."

In order to receive this designation, facilities must have a prior ACR accreditation in chest module computed tomography (CT), and must adhere to comprehensive facility, safety, reporting, and counseling requirements put forward by the American College of Radiology.

Lung cancer is the nation's leading cancer killer – taking the lives of more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined. Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scans, and appropriate follow-up care, significantly reduces lung cancer deaths. In 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended screening of adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Many insurance companies now cover low-dose CT screening for those considered to be at high risk. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that they would provide coverage to Medicare recipients who meet the criteria.

The American College of Radiology, founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care. The ACR is at the forefront of radiology, representing more than 37,000 diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical physicists. Its core functional areas — advocacy, economics, education, quality and safety, research, and membership value — are improving, promoting, and protecting the practice of radiology.

For media inquiries, contact:

Jarrod Bernstein
CarePoint Health
Director of Corporate Communications
Phone: 201-884-5300
Email: [email protected]

About CarePoint Health
CarePoint Health brings quality, patient-focused health care to the Hudson County region. Combining the resources of three area hospitals – Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, and Hoboken University Medical Center, and the CarePoint Health Medical Group – CarePoint Health provides a new approach to deliver health care that puts the patient front and center. We leverage a network of top doctors, nurses and other medical professionals whose expertise and attentiveness work together to provide complete coordination of care, from the doctor's office to the hospital to the home. Patients benefit from the expertise and capabilities of a broad network of leading specialists and specialized technology. At CarePoint Health, all of our medical professionals emphasize preventive medicine and focus on educating patients to make healthy life choices. For more information on our facilities, partners and services, visit us at www.carepointhealth.org.

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SOURCE CarePoint Health