UMass Breast Center Receives Accreditation

Submitted by UMass Memorial Medical Center

The Comprehensive Breast Center at UMass Memorial Medical 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.  

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.  During the survey process, the center must demonstrate 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.  

“We are pleased and honored to have been acknowledged by the NAPBC for our comprehensive breast program,” said Robert Quinlan, MD, director of the Comprehensive Breast Center at UMass Memorial Medical Center. “NAPBC accreditation sets us apart from other care providers in the region. It is the result of our commitment to providing high-quality, technologically-advanced compassionate care to our patients.”   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.   

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 192,370 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2009. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign breast disease this year will require medical evaluation for treatment options.    

For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit their Web site at www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.