Lowell General Hospital Earns National Accreditation for Breast Care

Lowell General Hospital, in Lowell, Mass., 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.

“This accreditation is a testament of the tireless commitment of our physicians, nurses and staff across many disciplines to create a comprehensive, patient-centric breast care program,” says Cecilia Lynch, RN, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nurse Executive at Lowell General Hospital. “By receiving care from a NAPBC accredited breast center, patients and their families will know that we are providing the highest standard of care with the best treatment options in a setting that is compassionate and 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.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 232,340 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2013¹. 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

And, most importantly,

• Quality breast care close to home.

For more information, visit National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.
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¹American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2013. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2013.