Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), New Brunswick, and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey’s Breast Cancer Program has been granted a full three-year accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. This reaccreditation marks the third time that RWJUH and Rutgers Cancer Institute have achieved this status.
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, RWJUH and Rutgers Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Program 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 program leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement. 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.
“Earning reaccreditation is testament to the spirit of teamwork that exists among our staff at RWJUH, faculty physicians at Rutgers Cancer Institute, University Radiology Group and our community oncologists,” notes Lynn Lutwin, M.A., M.S.N., R.N., O.C.N., C.B.C.N., C.B.P.N.-I.C., N.E.-B.C., C.T.R., director of the Breast Care Connection at RWJUH. “We are pleased that the NAPBC recognized our program for the comprehensive care and breadth of services we provide for individuals battling breast cancer.”
“The Breast Cancer Program here is unique because it represents a true collaborative effort between an academic medical center and an NCI (National Cancer Institute)-designated comprehensive cancer center,” says Thomas Kearney, M.D., F.A.C.S., surgical oncologist, section chief, breast surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology and director of Breast Care Services for Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJUH. “Patients diagnosed with breast cancer have access to the most advanced treatments, research and clinical trials at Rutgers Cancer Institute and they also benefit from the high-touch, personalized care provided by RWJUH’s Breast Care Connection team. We are proud that the NAPBC has affirmed our program’s commitment to quality and excellence.”
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
For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.
To learn more about RWJUH, visit www.rwjuh.edu. For a referral to a physician affiliated with RWJUH, call 1-888-MD-RWJUH.
