The Radiology Department supports the hospital’s mission statement to provide excellence in care through prevention, education, and treatment in a safe environment.
Radiology services at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center are provided by Radiology Partners, a nationally based imaging corporation that includes radiologists with multi sub-specialty skills, including women’s imaging, interventional, pediatric neuroradiology, musculoskeletal, body imaging, and general imaging. Sub-specialty, fellowship-trained radiologists are available on site during regular hours as well as by phone during off hours for consultations 24/7, 365 days a year.
The Department of Radiology performs an average of 340 procedures per day; 40% of the patients are emergency room patients, 40% are inpatients, and 20% are outpatients. The types of patients range from neonatal to geriatric.
Services are provided to referring physicians who complete orders and a requisition for a procedure based upon diagnostic need. The study is performed by the technologist, except for those cases requiring fluoroscopy and intervention by the radiologists, performing these studies in conjunction with the technologist who provides image documentation of the findings. Physician assistants monitor patients undergoing interventional and invasive procedures. The radiologist provides a report with his or her findings and any recommendations for other imaging services that may assist in the diagnosis of the patient. The radiologist also provides consultation services to the referring physician to determine which types of studies can best determine a diagnosis based upon clinical findings. All services are provided in a timely manner.
The scope of care in radiology runs the gamut of routine exams, chest, and extremities on ambulatory patients to interventional procedures, angioplasty, and thrombolysis on critically ill patients. Conscious sedation is administered when deemed necessary by the treating physician.
The Radiology Department shall be staffed so as to offer the highest quality of services available to the patients, medical staff and the community.
The Radiology Department consists of:
- Diagnostic Radiology: Provides services on a 7 day/week, 24-hour basis. A qualified radiographer shall be available at all times.
- Mammography: Provides services Mon-Sat, 8 AM-4 PM. A qualified mammographer, meeting American College of Radiology standards shall perform all studies.
- Sonography: Provides services on a 7-day/week basis. The hours of operation are Mon-Fri, 7 AM-11 PM, and Sat- Sun, 8 AM-4 PM. A qualified sonographer performs all studies.
- Nuclear Medicine: Provides services Mon-Fri, 8 AM-4 PM. A qualified nuclear medicine technologist performs all studies. There is an on-call technologist available at all other times.
- Computerized Tomography/Interventional Radiology: Provides services on a 7 day/week, 24-hour basis.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Provides services Mon-Fri, 8 AM-9 PM. A qualified technician performs all studies. There is an on-call technologist available at all other times.
- Bone Densitometry: Services are available Mon and Thurs, 8 AM-1 PM.
The needs of the WHMC patients are evaluated through feedback from physicians, patients, and community. The mechanisms utilized include but are not limited to patient satisfaction surveys, inter/intra departmental problem reports and input from the patient advocate, and the department’s Improving Organizational Performance Plan.
The Chairman of Radiology shall be certified by the American Board of Radiology. The radiologists shall be board eligible. All radiographers/CT technologists shall be licensed by the New York State Department of Health. All mammographers shall possess the qualifications to meet the standards of the American College of Radiology. All nuclear medicine technologists shall have the necessary credentials to meet the standards of the New York State Department of Health. All sonographers shall be a graduate of a New York State approved sonography program and certified by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). All MRI technologists are trained, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certified, and demonstrate competence in MRI imaging.
The Department of Radiology operates in compliance with the New York City Department of Health Article 175, the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1994, and the American College of Radiology guidelines for diagnostic imaging.