Holy Cross Health
1500 Forest Glen Rd.
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-754-7000
HolyCrossHealth.org
As a young student at Georgetown University School of Medicine, Asante M. Dickson, MD, made a personal pledge early on that if he ever had the power to influence healthcare infrastructure, he would “use it to champion equity for all, transcending boundaries of race, ethnicity, gender and economic status.” Within a year, Dr. Dickson, Chief of Radiology at Holy Cross Health, has already made a significant impact by translating that promise into tangible improvements within the Holy Cross Health system, increasing accessibility and equitability in imaging services.
Despite its critical role in patient care and disease prevention, radiology has long been undervalued, notes Dr. Dickson. His mission is to transform the future of healthcare by educating the community about the importance of integrated access to advanced imaging and aligning radiology with primary care. Under his leadership, the radiology team is taking a collaborative approach, establishing outpatient centers within the community, and forging strategic partnerships with the Holy Cross Health primary care network. These efforts aim to foster strong relationships between outpatient physicians and radiologists, easing the increasing burden on primary care physicians and facilitating improved quality and continuity of care, particularly interventional radiology. By enhancing and streamlining access to imaging for both patients and providers, in-system radiology services will ultimately offer patients more options for testing and informed decision-making that could keep them out of the hospital.
“As a patient advocate, shaped by my upbringing and experiences in New York, I prioritize creating an environment of safety and equity within these medical walls that I cannot promise anyone outside these walls,” says Dickson. “Everyone within our system deserves compassionate care and respect without compromise.”
