Meet Emily, Mammography Technologist and Health Raiser

Today, Emily Zafonte is a mammography technologist at Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital, but she has held other imaging roles during her career – from an activity coordinator to a radiologic technologist. Her passion for working in health care and her devotion to delivering quality patient care has remained the same.

In her current role, Emily performs screening and diagnostic mammograms, including positioning patients, operating imaging equipment, ensuring radiation safety, and reviewing images for quality to aid in diagnoses. She also assists with patient care by explaining procedures, easing anxieties and maintaining accurate records, all while following quality control and regulatory standards.

Emily began her career with Northwell in 2014 at Northern Westchester Hospital as an activity coordinator. She was initially attracted to Northwell because she connected with the organization’s mission. “The patient-centered care and the constant innovation and technology used to give the best care to our patients is what originally attracted me to Northwell,” said Emily.

As an activity coordinator, Emily greeted patients, checked them in for their radiology exams, organized paperwork, scheduled appointments and called patients with reminders and prep instructions. She also assisted in patient care as needed by the technologist and department. Emily worked as an activity coordinator while she was in school to become a radiology technologist. Her program provided her access to clinical sites, including Phelps Hospital and Northern Westchester Hospital. She began her role as a radiologic technologist in 2018 at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Within radiology, Emily was able to explore different modalities, and through this exploration, she found that mammography was the perfect fit for her. She is enthusiastic about building meaningful relationships with her patients and her top priority is to provide the best patient care for the individuals she helps. “I love comforting my patients, being a familiar face for them year after year, putting them at ease during stressful times and most importantly, delivering the best care possible,” said Emily.

Emily is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in allied health sciences. Thanks to Northwell’s tuition reimbursement program, Emily can balance her full-time career, while taking classes online and fulfilling her role as a mother to her two boys, Nico and Louie. Throughout her time at Northwell, Emily has been grateful for the tools and encouragement to advance her career. She shared, “My leadership team is always so supportive, providing me with any necessary training within the department. They are also very open to any questions that I may have.”

When asked if she had any advice for those looking to get their start in radiology, Emily immediately encouraged others to explore the field just as she did to find her passion. She stressed the many possibilities for anyone to find their niche and true passion, including working in both inpatient and outpatient care at the hospital.

From state-of-the-art technology to accurately interpreting the details of every scan, our imaging team members work hard to make a positive impact on the lives of our patients. Discover a career well cared for with our imaging team and learn more about opportunities at Northwell Health today.