Brooklyn resident Idiatou Diallo, 27, experienced misdiagnoses and worsening symptoms before finally getting answers. Her persistent pain and swelling sent her to emergency departments and physicians across the borough, in each case leaving her without answers or relief. By the time her brother urged her to try visiting NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, her condition had become impossible to ignore.

A decade earlier, what was then Lutheran Medical Center may have also left her still searching for answers, but when she visited the Emergency Department at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, she was evaluated immediately, receiving comprehensive blood work, imaging, and specialist consultations. A biopsy soon confirmed advanced-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma—a clear diagnosis that finally led her to swift treatment and a turning point in her life.

“Everything moved quickly, and everyone took my situation seriously,” said Diallo. “I want more people to know that this level of care is available right here in Brooklyn.”

Her experience reflects the broader transformation of NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn over the past decade. As the hospital marks 10 years this month since merging with the former Lutheran Medical Center, measurable improvements in quality, safety, and access to specialty care have reshaped what patients across the borough can expect when they walk through its doors, particularly those facing complex, life-threatening conditions.

“Our focus over the last decade has been unwavering: improve quality, strengthen safety, and ensure Brooklyn residents can access world-class care close to home,” said Bret J. Rudy, MD, executive vice president and chief of hospital operations at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. “Every investment and improvement we’ve made has been guided by what will best serve our patients and our community.”

Under Dr. Rudy’s leadership, the hospital’s mortality rate ranks among the lowest both in Brooklyn—which has one of the nation’s highest Medicaid populations—and nationwide. More than 80 percent of discharged patients at the hospital are insured by Medicaid or Medicare, reflecting the hospital’s critical role in caring for diverse communities across the borough. Patients with government insurance or no insurance at all often lack routine access to high-quality healthcare, and have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other underlying health conditions. NYU Langone’s numerous investments in Brooklyn have proven key to the hospital’s transformation, significantly improving quality, safety, and coordinated care for all patients.

Since the merger, the hospital has shortened the average length of stay, reduced readmissions, and emerged as one of New York City’s highest-performing hospitals for quality and patient safety. A study published in JAMA Network Open in 2022 found a 33 percent drop in the mortality rate of patients hospitalized at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn since the merger. The hospital also became the first in the borough to earn Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recognizing excellence in nursing practice, patient outcomes, and professional nursing standards.

As part of its commitment to the Brooklyn community, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn has increased procedural and surgical volume and expanded access to advanced specialty care, including comprehensive oncology services through Perlmutter Cancer Center—Sunset Park, advanced cardiac and surgical programs, its Level 1 Trauma Center, and its Comprehensive Stroke Center. Since 2017, the hospital has increased surgeries by more than 20 percent, with an on-time start rate above 90 percent, a testament to its focus on quality and patient experience. Taken together, these efforts reflect a broader strategy to reduce the need for patients to travel outside Brooklyn for highly specialized, high-quality care.

For Diallo, that transformation was felt immediately.

She began chemotherapy shortly after her diagnosis at Perlmutter Cancer Center—Sunset Park, under the care of Oscar B. Lahoud, MD, chief medical officer of NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn and a hematologist–oncologist at Perlmutter Cancer Center. Dr. Lahoud personally stepped in to oversee her care, working closely with a multidisciplinary team to coordinate treatment and address the urgency of her condition. Over the next six months, Diallo completed chemotherapy with ongoing monitoring, clear communication, and consistent support from her care team.

“Since joining NYU Langone, my vision has always been to bring advanced and innovative care to Brooklyn, so patients never have to leave the borough for treatment,” said Dr. Lahoud. “Cancer care requires more than treatment. It requires coordination, accessibility, and trust.”

According to Dr. Lahoud, Diallo’s outcome reflects the importance of early intervention, coordinated cancer care, and clear communication throughout treatment. Patient navigators at Perlmutter Cancer Center—Sunset Park play a key role in helping patients manage appointments, imaging, testing, and transitions between inpatient and outpatient care, supporting patients as they complete their full course of treatment.

Diallo has now been in remission for a little over a year and continues regular follow-up visits every few months. Although she still experiences fatigue related to treatment, she has resumed many aspects of daily life and remains closely connected to the team that helped save her.

“Dr. Lahoud and the team at NYU Langone gave me hope when I didn’t have any,” Diallo said. “From the first day of chemotherapy, the nurses explained everything and made me feel comfortable and supported. I never felt like I was facing this alone.”

As NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn looks ahead, the next phase of growth will continue to focus on expanding specialty services, strengthening patient navigation, and investing in infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the community.

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 118 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation for four years in a row, and U.S. News & World Report recently ranked four of its clinical specialties No. 1 in the nation. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 320 outpatient locations in the New York area and Florida. The system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise.

Media Inquiries

Gabrielle Messina
Phone: 929-909-6213
Gabrielle.Messina@NYULangone.org