Rigorous evaluation focuses on center’s quality care, outcomes
Munson Medical Center’s Smith Family Breast Health Center recently was accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).
The three-year recognition is a program of the American College of Surgeons.
The NAPBC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality of care and monitoring of outcomes of patients with disease of the breast. It challenges breast care centers to enhance the care they provide by addressing patient-centered needs and measuring the quality of care they deliver against national standards.
“This recognition speaks to the commitment and dedication of our physicians and staff to elevating the clinical care provided to breast cancer patients,” said Kathleen LaRaia, executive director of Oncology Services at Munson Healthcare. “Our patients should feel confident that their care meets the high quality standards through a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options.”
Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of their performance.
During the survey process, staff and physicians at the Smith Family Breast Health Center had to demonstrate compliance with standards established by the NAPBC for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. Standards include proficiency in center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement.
The American Cancer Society estimates 231,840 patients will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2015. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women will need to deal with benign disease and require medical evaluation for treatment options.
In addition to a multidisciplinary care approach for women identified with breast cancer, the Smith Family Breast Health Center offers digital screening mammograms, ultrasound, breast MRI and MRI guided biopsy, and bone density testing.
For more information on the center and Munson Healthcare Cancer Services, go to munsonhealthcare.org/cancerservices.
More information about the NAPBC may be found at accreditedbreastcenters.org.