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Mercy’s Hoffberger Breast Center Receives Accreditation By The National Accreditation Program For Breast Centers (NAPBC)

The Hoffberger Breast Center at Mercy Medical Center has been granted a 3-year, full accreditation designation by the American College of Surgeons, as of December 2009.

Accreditation by the NAPBC is only granted 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. These 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.

“This accreditation reflects the dedication and hard work of the physicians, nurses, clinical and lay staff of the Hoffberger Breast Center to serve our patients to the utmost which is endemic to the mission of the Sisters of Mercy. This is an outstanding achievement of which we are all very proud,” said Thomas R. Mullen, president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center.

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 estimated that there would be 184,450 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2008. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign breast disease this year will require medical evaluation for treatment options.

Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center such as the Hoffberger Breast Center at Mercy ensures that a patient will have access to:

• comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art services
• a multi-disciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
• information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
• quality breast care close to home