DARTMOUTH, Mass. -The Southcoast Breast Center, a part of Southcoast Health, 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.

The Southcoast Breast Center is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program designed to help guide patients that receive an abnormal mammogram. The multidisciplinary team includes surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, pathologists and breast care navigators. They meet regularly to review each case and recommend the appropriate course of treatment. With advanced technology and experience, the Center offers a streamlined approach to diagnosis, providing timely and accurate services.

“Achieving NAPBC accreditation reflects the commitment that everyone at Southcoast – physicians, nurses, imaging technologists, physical therapists, genetic counselors, social workers, navigators, and others – has made to the breast program,” said Kathryn Chen, MD, Medical Director of Southcoast’s Breast Care Program. “It reflects years of work to put programs in place to meet the national standards. The bottom line is that it means that we can provide outstanding, comprehensive care to patients in the South Coast region diagnosed with breast cancer.”

During the survey process, the Southcoast Breast Center demonstrated 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.

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.

To learn more about the Southcoast Breast Center, visit www.southcoast.org/breastcenter or call 855-749-3349. For more information about the NAPBC, visit www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.