Breast Care Center Recruits a Familiar Name To Lead Program

MOUNT KISCO, NY — The Breast Care Center at Northern Westchester Hospital is getting a new regional director and two new surgeons.

Andrew Ashikari, MD has been appointed regional director of the Breast Care Center at Northern Westchester Hospital and Phelps Hospital where he will oversee and coordinate the growth of breast surgery and set clinical standards for patients with breast diseases. In addition, two new surgeons will join the center as part of its National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).

"Dr. Ashikari has impeccable credentials. From being named a Top Doctor in New York metropolitan area for the last 15 years to being chairman of surgery at Hudson Valley Hospital, Dr. Ashikari is top notch,” said Gary Giangola, MD, VP of surgical services at Northwell Health and chair of surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, who oversees the Breast Care Center. "We are lucky to have such a well-respected doctor from both doctors and patients alike."

Ashikari has, in fact, established himself as one of the most experienced breast surgeons in Westchester over the last 20 years as part of the well-known Ashikari Breast Center. At Northwell Health, his experience as an attending surgeon at Phelps Hospital and Northern Westchester Hospital has uniquely prepared him for the new role.

Ashikari received a Bachelor of Science from Wake Forest University and his Doctor of Medicine from Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Ashikari completed his internship and residency in General Surgery from Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at the University of Chicago. Dr. Ashikari is an associate professor of surgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He has extensively published journal articles and often speaks at national conferences on breast reconstructive surgery.

In addition to Ashikari, two additional physician appointments have been made at the Breast Care Center, including Ranjana Chaterji, DO, Director of Quality for Breast Care Center and Pond Kelemen, MD, Director of Surgical Oncology Clinical Trials.

"With the announcement of these veteran surgeons we continue to develop and deliver comprehensive and compassionate breast care to our community in Westchester County," Doctor Marla Koroly, the associate ambulatory physician executive for Northwell Health's Westchester and Connecticut regions said. "I'm proud of all these are highly trained surgeons who can diagnose and treat breast cancers with the most advanced techniques and treatments."

The Breast Care Center is known for its all-inclusive approach to care to give patients access to breast health specialists from a full range of disciplines at any stage of breast health. This includes a variety of support services not just for the patient, but the entire family. Oncology nurse navigators, oncology nutritionists, social workers, physical therapists, strength conditioning, balance training are all available.

As Ashikari is the regional director of the Breast Cancer Center, Chaterji and Kelemen will now report to him for operational purposes. For more information on the Breast Care Centers, visit the Breast Care Center at Northern Westchester Hospital or the Breast Care Center of Westchester at Phelps Hospital.