June 10, 2011

Saint John’s Earns Breast Center Accreditation

ANDERSON – Saint John’s Health System has been granted full three-year accreditation 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,” said Saint John’s Cancer Center Director Sandra Crawley.

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.

“Our top priority is ensuring that patients receive the greatest range of options for treating their breast cancer,” Crawley said. “The accreditation process requires frequent quality assurance checks, which will allow us to continually improve Saint John’s already excellent breast health services.”

Saint John’s offers a comprehensive approach to breast health and breast cancer treatment, providing the very latest technology in a compassionate environment. The multi-disciplinary team of breast health specialists includes radiologists, medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, nurses, mammographers, dieticians, and social services professionals.

Saint John’s Women’s Center specializes in the diagnosis of breast diseases. Saint John’s digital mammography equipment allows the highest image quality at the lowest dose of radiation. The compression surface is curved for maximum comfort during the scan. Image Checker CAD-Computer Aided Detection provides increased accuracy in making diagnosis. ImageChecker digitally analyzes mammograms, meticulously reviewing each image and marking any areas that warrant a second look by the interpreting radiologist.

If additional testing is needed, the Saint John’s Women’s Center provides breast ultrasound, breast ultrasound biopsy, and stereotactic breast biopsy. Saint John’s breast care navigator helps women receive the care they need quickly and provides support along the way.

The Saint John’s Cancer Center works hand-in-hand with Saint John’s Women’s Center to assist women in exploring the latest treatment options. Saint John’s Cancer Center was one of the first centers in the U.S. to offer MammoSite and SAVI five-day breast cancer treatment for select post lumpectomy cases.

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.

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
• 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 Saint John’s Cancer Center, call 646-8358. For information about services at the Saint John’s Women’s Center, call 646-8484.

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Randy Titus
Marketing and Community Affairs
Saint John’s Health System
(765) 646-8290