Jefferson Announces Gift to Enhance the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Diagnostic Center

Jefferson Health has received a $4 million gift from the Karabots Foundation to install leading-edge diagnostic equipment in the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Diagnostic Center and the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Interventional Radiology Suite at Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital.

The generous donation will fund the purchase, installation, and operation of a new Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner and, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) CT scan in the Karabots Diagnostic Center, and of state-of-the-art interventional radiology equipment in the Karabots Radiology Suite. This upgraded scanning technology will ensure Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital continues to provide equitable access to the most advanced diagnostic imaging services for residents and patients in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and its environs.

“Jefferson Health and the Karabots Foundation are deeply invested in the Norristown community, and this gift reflects our shared vision to make a difference for the patients and families we serve,” says Brian Sweeney, RN, MBA, FACHE, president of Jefferson Health’s north region. “We are deeply grateful to the Karabots Foundation and Karabots family for carrying on the legacy of Nicholas and Athena.”

The late Nicholas Karabots, together with his wife, Athena, have a long history of philanthropy and caring deeply about the health and wellbeing of underserved inner-city residents and their children, particularly about ensuring their ability to access high-quality, trusted medical care. In 2014, the Karabots Foundation made a leadership gift to name the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Medical Building in Norristown, which is now part of Jefferson Health, as well as the diagnostic center at Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital.

Diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology provide valuable insight into a patient’s medical condition, allowing physicians to create images of critical biological structures and activities. The investment into this next-generation equipment ensures that the Karabots Diagnostic Imaging Center and Karabots Interventional Radiology Suite remain future-ready, trusted destinations for Jefferson patients.

“Diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology both rely on highly sensitive equipment to get the best possible picture of a patient’s health needs,” says Ryan K. Lee, MD, MBA, chair of radiology at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital and Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital. “Philanthropic support for these capital purchases makes an incredible impact in the quality of care our patients will receive. We sincerely appreciate the Karabots family for their steadfast support over the years and for this farsighted investment in our work.”

Upon commencement of operation of the new state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, the Karabots Diagnostic Center and the Karabots Interventional Radiology Suite will ensure equitable access to cutting-edge diagnostic imaging services for patients from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, fostering an intrinsic culture of health and a healthier and more vibrant community now and for years to come.

“Accurate diagnosis is at the heart of medicine, and so having the most advanced imaging equipment is critical to our ability to provide uncompromising care to everyone in our community,” says Baligh R. Yehia, MD, president of Jefferson Health. “This wonderful gift from our longtime friends and partners at the Karabots Foundation will literally allow our expert radiologists to see farther and deeper—catching disease before it strikes and setting a patient up for the most personalized, least invasive treatment.”

Jefferson will hold a ribbon-cutting at the center once the equipment has been installed.