Bariatric Service:
On January 23, 2015, the Bariatric Surgery Department of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi was recertified by the American College of Surgeons as a Center of Excellence. The department provides healthcare services to overweight and obese people who want to get their weight under control.
“At Jacobi’s Bariatric Center, we’ve been helping people turn their lives around for years,” said Dr. Ajay Chopra, the department’s director. “If you are obese, chances are you also suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure and musculoskeletal issues. By working together, we can help you get your weight under control, which can also help alleviate other medical conditions you may have been suffering from for many years.”
“The Bariatric Surgery Department is especially equipped to meet the unique needs of overweight patients. The goal is to help members of our community overcome obesity and improve their health. Our board-certified surgeons are specially trained in minimally invasive surgery that avoids the need for open procedures. Our staff includes a psychologist, a nutritionist, a nurse practitioner and a physician assistant, and has expanded in the past two years. Since 2002, the department has treated 1,437 patients. Many of our referrals come from friends and family members of satisfied patients.”
Breast Service:
Under the direction of the Breast Center’s surgeon-in-chief, Dr. Maria Castaldi, the Breast Center has received accolades from the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) for the reaccreditation of the Breast Center in 2014, and the development of two Best Practice Programs that are being used as national models: The Multidisciplinary Patient Navigation Program, and Reducing Healthcare Disparity in Breast Health Centers.
In addition, Dr. Castaldi has received special recognition from the Bronx County Medical Society for her exemplary leadership in attaining the center’s accreditation, and for expansion of the renowned Breast Oncology Patient Navigation Program. The Breast Center is celebrating its fourth year as a Breast Center of Excellence, providing quality care for more than 1600 patients annually with breast disease. The state-of-the-art breast center is staffed by a team of experts offering a multidisciplinary approach to breast-cancer care.
According to Dr. Castaldi, “With skill and compassion, our purpose at the Breast Center is to ease the burden of those suffering from breast cancer. The American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers is the seal of approval that I have secured for NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi; it demonstrates my commitment to providing the highest quality evaluation and care for patients with breast disease.”
A graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx native Dr. Castaldi has significantly improved the quality of breast care in the Bronx.