PROVIDENCE – Women & Infants Hospital, a Care New England facility, announced that its Breast Health Center has received a three-year, full accreditation designation from National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, which is a program that the American College of Surgeons administers. The hospital’s Breast Health Center first received this accreditation in 2010, reported a hospital spokesperson.
The NAPBC accreditation is awarded only to those entities that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance, according to NAPBC’s website.
During the survey process, the Breast Health Center demonstrated compliance with NAPBC’s standards for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. The standards include proficiency in the areas of center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement. A breast center that achieves NAPBC accreditation has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease.
Eight standards, including the hospital’s Women’s Intimacy and Sexual Health Center and its Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, received best practice designation, the hospital reported. The surveyor noted the depth and strength of the program, including the interdisciplinary breast cancer conference, a weekly assembly of specialists who consider each woman’s case individually. The hospital reported that the surveyor for NAPBC noted, “One of the best conferences I have ever observed. Evidence-based, but with room for discussion and respectful differences of opinion in controversial cases.” Surveyors also called the cancer pathology reports “excellent.”
The NAPBC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving the quality of care and monitoring outcomes for patients with breast diseases through standard-setting, scientific validation and patient and professional education. NAPBC’s board members represent professionals from 20 national organizations that represent different aspects of breast care.
Patients receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center have access to comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art services; a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options; information about ongoing clinical trials; and new treatment options and quality breast care close to home.
In addition to Women & Infants Hospital’s Breast Health Center, these breast centers in Rhode Island have received accreditation from NAPBC: the Breast Center, part of Lifespan’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in Providence; Roger Williams Hospital Breast Health; and the Breast Health Center at Kent Hospital. In nearby Massachusetts, Signature-Healthcare Brockton Hospital in Brockton and Southcoast Health Breast Program in Dartmouth received NAPBC accreditation.
