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NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens has been designated a 2025 Center of Excellence (COE) in Lung Cancer Screeningby GO2 for Lung Cancer, a national leader in early detection, education, and advocacy. The recognition places the Queens-based hospital among a select group of institutions nationwide meeting the highest standards for lung cancer screening and follow-up care.
For a borough and patient population that has historically faced higher cancer mortality and earlier onset of disease, the designation signals more than prestige — it reflects a strengthened commitment to prevention, equity, and keeping lifesaving care close to home.
The Center of Excellence designation affirms the hospital’s comprehensive lung cancer screening program, which includes high-quality low-dose CT scans, coordinated diagnostic follow-up, smoking cessation resources, and patient-centered care. Central to the program is a deliberate focus on reducing disparities in outcomes for communities that have long been underserved.
“As we mark 90 years of service, this Center of Excellence designation validates our long-standing priority to expand access to preventive care and early cancer detection right here in our community,” said Neil Moore, MBA, MPA, MPH, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens. “Many of our patients face greater illness burden and barriers to information and services; by bringing best practice screening and education to Queens — and ensuring care is available close to home through the Queens Cancer Center — we can prevent late stage diagnoses and help people remain in their neighborhoods for treatment and recovery.”
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, largely because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Screening programs like the one at Queens Hospital aim to shift that reality by identifying disease earlier, when treatment is more effective and survival rates are higher.
As a newly designated Center of Excellence, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens will immediately leverage GO2 for Lung Cancer’s Global Knowledge Center — a comprehensive online education hub available to COE members. The goal is to close information gaps that can delay diagnosis and worsen outcomes.
Dr. Daniel Contractor, Chief of Radiology, said the resources will enhance both clinical care and community engagement.
“We will use the Global Knowledge Center’s evidence based educational materials, clinician resources, and patient tools to raise awareness, improve shared decision making, and standardize follow up care,” Contractor said. “Those resources help us translate screening into earlier diagnoses and better survival for patients who need it most.”
Access to standardized, evidence-based tools also ensures consistency across providers, helping patients navigate what can otherwise be a fragmented and confusing screening and diagnostic process.
Clinical leaders say the designation reinforces the hospital’s broader public health mission.
“Prioritizing screening and prevention is how we change the trajectory of lung cancer in our community,” said Dr. Dave Holson, Chief Medical Officer. “By combining multidisciplinary care, education and outreach, we aim to chip away at the outcome gaps that have long affected Southeast Queens.”
Those gaps are especially pronounced in communities with higher smoking rates, limited access to preventive care, and lower awareness of screening eligibility — factors that contribute to later-stage diagnoses and poorer outcomes.
The Queens Cancer Center offers a full continuum of oncology services, from prevention and screening to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. For patients, that means access to expert care without the burden of traveling outside the borough — a barrier that can delay treatment or discourage follow-up altogether.
The COE designation confirms that Queens Hospital meets rigorous national standards aligned with best practices from organizations such as the American College of Radiology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. These standards address program quality, patient communication, timely diagnostic follow-up, and integration of smoking cessation support.
Beyond clinical services, Center of Excellence status expands the hospital’s capacity for community education. NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens will gain access to GO2’s patient education materials, downloadable brochures, and outreach assets that can be adapted for culturally competent public awareness campaigns.
Those tools will support outreach through community partners, social media, and public education efforts aimed at reaching people who may otherwise lack access to accurate information about lung cancer risk and screening.
In a borough as diverse as Queens, the designation underscores the importance of meeting patients where they are — with trusted information, accessible services, and care designed to save lives through early detection.
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