McLeod Breast Health Center
Achieves Re-accreditation

McLEOD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 27 MAY 2016

The McLeod Breast Health Center has been granted a three-year/Full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. McLeod has received this prestigious acknowledgement of the quality of care it offers to breast cancer patients since 2010 — the first breast program in the region to receive this designation.

Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers 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.

“Annually, breast cancer is the most commonly treated cancer at McLeod Regional Medical Center. Because a tremendous volume of breast cancer patients are cared for at McLeod, the hospital, staff, and physicians have put considerable effort into ensuring state-of-the-art care for women with breast cancer and that the NAPBC standards are met or exceeded,” explained Dr. Amy P. Murrell, McLeod Breast Surgeon and McLeod’s Cancer Liaison Physician to the American College of Surgeons.

“We also understand that every woman with breast cancer is different and must be treated as such. It is critical to have the correct treatment, in the correct sequence to optimize survival. McLeod has a first class breast cancer program and we continually strive to be even better.”

Examples of how McLeod meets and/or exceeds the NAPBC standards include:

  • Each week at McLeod, the cases of breast cancer patients are presented at the McLeod Breast Conference which includes at least one attending physician from each of the following departments: medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery, radiology, and pathology. This ensures that each patient’s case is considered from all aspects and in its entirety.
  • Every new breast cancer patient treated at McLeod is reviewed by the breast conference.
  • Sentinel lymph node biopsy is performed on women with early stage breast cancer.
  • Women are considered for and offered entrance into clinical trials and research protocols.
  • College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines are followed in the treatment of all breast cancer cases.
  • Community breast cancer education, prevention, and screening programs are offered in the region.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 232,340 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2013. At McLeod, 310 individuals were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Breast cancer also continues to be the leading cancer site diagnosed at McLeod each year.

In addition to treating women diagnosed with breast cancer, breast health centers such as McLeod will see hundreds of women each year experiencing benign breast disease who will require medical evaluation for treatment options.

During the survey process in April, the McLeod Breast Health Center demonstrated compliance with standards established by the NAPBC 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.

Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center ensures that a patient will 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, most importantly,
• Quality breast care close to home.

The NAPBC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality of care and monitoring of outcomes of patients with diseases of the breast. This mission is pursued through standard-setting, scientific validation, and patient and professional education. Its board membership includes professionals from 15 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of breast care.

For more information about the McLeod Breast Health Center, contact Oncology Navigator Tracey Godwin at 843-777-5418.