BMC Breast Program Accredited, Earns ‘Best Practice’ Designation

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Medical Center’s Breast Program has been granted a full, three-year accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. The BMC program was also cited by the NAPBC in four areas for ‘best practice’ designation.

Accreditation by the NAPBC is given only 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 center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement.

“A breast program that achieves NAPBC accreditation has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease,” according to the NAPBC, which also cited BMC’s Breast Program in four areas for providing ‘best practice’ services, including breast conservation, breast-cancer staging, pathology reports, and nursing. BMC’s work in those areas will be included in NAPBC’s national database of information that can be used by other programs to help meet NAPBC standards of care.

“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the dedication of our entire Breast Program team at BMC to provide our patients with the highest quality of care,” said Diane Kelly, the hospital’s chief operating officer. “It’s critically important that we provide these comprehensive breast care services, giving our community access to multi-disciplinary, state-of-the-art 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 20 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of breast care. For more information, visit www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.