GRU Cancer Center Breast Team receives new national accreditation

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The GRU Cancer Center Breast Team has been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Center, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons.

NAPBC accreditation is only offered to programs that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation and performance review. During the survey process, a program must demonstrate compliance with NAPBC standards for the diagnosis and treatment of a full spectrum of breast disease. These standards include leadership, research, outreach, education and quality improvement.

The GRU Cancer Center Breast Team credits much of its current success to the expansion of the Breast team and a robust clinical trials program unique in the region.

“We are proud and pleased to have received this important recognition and see it as a validation of this entire team’s hard work and focused goal of quality care before, during and after treatment,” said Dr. Shou-Chin Tang, leader of the GRU Cancer Center Breast Team.

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. The 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.

“Our Breast Team represents, in very real and significant ways, the work we do here at the Cancer Center. This team’s approach to clinical care, trials and transitional research continuously leads to exceptional results that are felt not only in our local community, but across the region and beyond,” said Dr. Samir N. Khleif, director of the GRU Cancer Center.

The American Cancer Society estimated that there would be more than 230,000 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2013. This is in addition to the hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign breast disease and require medical evaluation for treatment options.

Receiving care from a NAPBC-accredited program such as the GRU Cancer Center Breast Team ensures a patient will have access to:

• Comprehensive care and a full range of state-of-the-art services
• A multidisciplinary team approach that ensures personalized patient care
• The latest information on clinical trials, research and new treatment options
• Quality breast care close to home