NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina  –   With patient satisfaction a top priority, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune’s Radiology Department is setting the standard for Navy Medicine radiology clinics. Many specialties within the Radiology Department have received accreditation from the American College of Radiology, and two of NMCCL’s radiologists were recently recognized by the United States Navy Medical Corps for their superior performances.

“Accreditation by the American College of Radiology (ACR) is recognized as the gold standard in medical imaging, and achieving it demonstrates our commitment to providing the safest and best, quality care possible for our patients,” stated Navy Lieutenant Commander Matthew J. Lail. Lail serves as the Division Officer for Diagnostic Imaging and Division Head for Computed Tomography (CT) for NMCCL. “Accreditation is applied for and achieved separately for each applicable imaging modality.”

To date, NMCCL has achieved accreditation for their CT, ultrasound, and mammography medical imaging specialties and is working toward receiving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accreditation later this year. According to Lail, their goal is to achieve accreditation in all specialties, receiving the designation as a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence.

“These processes and standards [for accreditation] are not novel for our hardworking staff – the Medical Center here at Camp Lejeune has already been providing high quality medical imaging services,” emphasizes Lail. “What ACR Accreditation does is allow an objective, external verification of our ongoing commitment to delivering high quality patient care and medical imaging services.”

The accreditation process involves submitting a host of information for external review by experts at the ACR to ensure the highest standards of patient care delivery are being met with respect to that particular imaging modality. Subjects addressed or reviewed during the accreditation process include personnel qualification and continuing education requirements, equipment standards, and departmental quality control among others. Each subject area is scrutinized to ensure the highest standards are met and to identify any areas for improvement.

With two of Navy Medicine’s finest radiologist leading the way, the department should continue making strides toward their goal. U.S. Navy Commander J. Greg Whaley served as the NMCCL Radiology Department Head since 2018, but recently took on the role of Director for Clinical Support Services at the medical center. Whaley was named Senior Radiologist of the Year, and Lieutenant Commander Matthew Burgess, Whaley’s successor as the new department head, was named Junior Radiologist of the Year by the U.S. Navy’s Medical Corps.

“This award is really a testament to the incredible radiology team here at Camp Lejeune,” said Whaley. “The advances we’ve made over the past three years have been the result of their hard work. I’m constantly amazed at the accomplishments of our staff, and I’ve really been honored to lead this incredible team.”

Whaley will continue to have oversight of the Radiology Department as the Director for Clinical Support Services.