Park Ridge Health Breast Center Receives Accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) has granted a three-year/full accreditation to the Park Ridge Health Breast Center. This is the fourth time Park Ridge Health has been honored with this accreditation from NAPBC. Its breast center was one of the first 94 hospital programs to be accredited in 2009 and the first to be accredited in Western North Carolina.

The American College of Surgeons administers the NAPBC program. Its accreditation 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. The program must demonstrate compliance with 29 standards established by the NAPBC for treating women and men who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. The standards include proficiency in: center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement.

'We are proud of our NAPBC accreditation legacy. As an inaugural member in 2009 and currently one of over 600 accredited centers nationally, our dedication to outstanding breast health care is evidenced by this continued recognition,' says Linda Richards, administrative director of Park Ridge Health Cancer Services. 'For our patients, NAPBC accreditation means attentive programming designed to reduce breast cancer deaths through improved screening and access to clinical trials. The program emphasis is on quality improvement and benchmark comparisons between peer groups.'

Receiving care at Park Ridge Health's NAPBC-accredited breast 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
• Access to a Breast Health Nurse Navigator
• Quality breast care close to home