Today the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) announced that it has now accredited more than 500 breast centers and the program has widespread distribution in 48 states including Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico. The 500-accredited-centers achievement comes after surpassing the 100-accredited-centers mark in 2009, a little more than one year after the NAPBC began the formal process of surveying breast centers for accreditation in September 2008.
"Accrediting more than 500 breast centers is a milestone that represents the tremendous amount of work and honest effort of breast centers across the country. Demonstrating the importance of quality breast care, these facilities have voluntarily sought out the most significant accreditation for breast centers in the United States," said Cary Kaufman, MD, FACS, Chair of the NAPBC. "We are proud of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers for leading the way to provide the highest quality care for women diagnosed with diseases of the breast."
Before a breast center earns NAPBC accreditation, it must first undergo a rigorous application process and onsite survey to ensure that the center has access to the 17 required components of care as defined by the NAPBC, and that they are able comply with the 28 program standards, which include leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement criteria. The accredited centers voluntarily enter into an agreement to maintain a high level of clinical care with a recertification required every three years. In addition to the rigorous application process, each center that applies for accreditation does so with the understanding that it will provide a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating breast cancer.
The NAPBC said it is poised for further growth, pointing out that its national office currently receives eight to 10 new applications on a monthly basis from breast centers seeking accreditation. Furthermore, its conferences and workshops that outline the accreditation process are typically booked to full capacity. NAPBC has also received significant interest from the medical leadership of international breast centers and is working to develop a pilot accreditation program in other countries.