RETURNING TO HIS STATEN ISLAND ROOTS, DR. THOMAS BRADLEY LEADS THE FLORINA CANCER CENTER’S HEMATOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENT WITH THE SAME COMPASSION, CURIOSITY, AND COMMITMENT THAT HAVE DEFINED HIS THREE-DECADE CAREER IN MEDICINE
BY AMANDA McCOY PHOTOS BY AMESSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Over more than three decades in practice, Thomas Bradley, MD, FACP, has made major contributions to hematology and oncology services in the New York metropolitan region. Triple board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology and a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, the Staten Island native joined Northwell Health in 2002 as the fellowship program director at North Shore University
Hospital, where the passionate teacher grew the hematology oncology program to 15 fellows. With a special interest in the management of prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancers, he became the go-to expert in GU oncology at North Shore LIJ, and was eventually system chief for GU cancers. Dr. Bradley has also served as the principal investigator for numerous drug trials over his career, and was awarded the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program Silver Certificate of Excellence in recognition of his groundbreaking research. Even while commuting to Brooklyn and Long Island, he continued to reside in his native borough of Staten Island, deeply embedded in the community he’s always called home.
Last year, retirement was on the horizon for the 30-plus year veteran of medicine, until he was approached with an opportunity to return to his roots as the director of hematology and oncology at Staten Island University Hospital’s Florina
Cancer Center. (“I had chosen a retirement date for earlier this year, and it’s passed,” he said with a chuckle.) His fervor for medicine first took root at SIUH as a high school volunteer in the hospital’s emergency room, noting, “I was always interested in sciences, and as an ER volunteer, I found the interactions between the physicians, nurses, and patients deeply rewarding.”
The Florina Cancer Center was a tremendous endeavor for SIUH, encompassing a state-of-the art, 40,000-square-foot facility that offers comprehensive cancer care in medical, radiation, and surgical oncology. The center officially began accepting patients in spring of 2024, and as director, Dr. Bradley steers the hematology and oncology division’s clinical, educational, and research initiatives. In taking over the helm, one of his primary roles was to bring the center in line with many of the policies of the Northwell Cancer Institute.
“Our primary objective is to provide quality, compassionate care with empathy, so Staten Islanders don’t feel they have to leave the borough to receive excellent oncology care,” said Dr. Bradley. “We are a busy place in volume, so to ensure we meet these standards and follow the appropriate guidelines, we are moving toward Quality Oncology Performance Improvement Certification through the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It’s a multi-year process.”
Dr. Bradley has also helped institute improvements in clinical processes, reducing wait times for patients to receive life-saving procedures. “We’ve organized same-day blood transfusion protocols,” noted the doctor. “We are also transitioning to a new digital medical record system that will align us with the latest technology. For example, our chemotherapy ordering process has been tradition ally written on paper. This can result in delays in delivering chemo to patients, so we will be able to cut that way down.”
Dr. Bradley takes pride in the center’s high patient satisfaction scores, which have continued to climb steadily over the last year. “Our satisfaction numbers are excellent,” he said. “We have a great administrative team at Florina, and they placed patient satisfaction as one of their top priorities. It takes a village, and we are always looking for ways to further our performance.”
In addition to his administrative duties, Dr. Bradley maintains an active practice. He sees patients two days per week, often with a fellow or physician residents. “Teaching is still a huge part of my practice today,” he said. “I have a fellow with me right now, along with several residents who are interested in hematology oncology. They see patients with me, and we spend time in-between appointments to discuss each case.”
Dr. Bradley still serves as the principal investigator of clinical trials in the Northwell system and plans to expand research opportunities at SIUH. “We’ve hired a clinical research nurse, and we have the opportunity within our system to expand trials. This is an exciting time to be in medicine; it’s astounding the number of developments that are occurring all the time. The revolution of techniques in molecular biology – new pathways, new targets, new medications are enhancing outcomes in ways we never would have dreamed of ten years ago.”
Ultimately, Dr. Bradley’s mission remains deeply personal: to deliver the best care experience for every patient who walks through Florina’s doors, from guiding young adults through testicular cancer to offering hope during a patient’s darkest hours.
“I’ve seen patients through complications and depression, and today they come up and hug me and tell me about all their life stories,” said the father of three. “Many will tell me they never forgot how I checked in on them throughout their entire journey. That is my work’s greatest reward.”
Florina Cancer Center
475 Seaview Avenue