Spectrum Health Comprehensive Breast Care Program Receives Accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers

Only Program in West Michigan with Three-Year Accreditation

Spectrum Health Comprehensive Breast Care Program has been granted a three-year full accreditation designated 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.

“By receiving this accreditation, our patients can rest assured they are receiving the highest quality of care for their breast care needs,” says Jane Pettinga, MD, program director, breast care services at Spectrum Health and breast surgeon, Spectrum Health Medical Group. “Our multidisciplinary approach provides patients access to an entire team of experts who coordinate the best treatment options available.”

During the survey process for the accreditation, 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.

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 15 organizations that reflect the full spectrum of breast care.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 184,450 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2008. 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 optionsQuality breast care close to home

For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit their Web site at www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.

In November 2009, Spectrum Health’s Betty Ford Diagnostic Breast Center at the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion was designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR). It is the first and only facility in Grand Rapids to receive this honor.

The ACR’s Breast Imaging Center of Excellence accreditation recognizes breast imaging centers that have earned accreditation in all of the College’s voluntary, breast-imaging accreditation programs and modules, in addition to the mandatory Mammography Accreditation Program.

Betty Ford Breast Care Services is a key part of the Spectrum Health Comprehensive Breast Care Program that offers the most comprehensive array of diagnostic services in the area. The mission of Betty Ford Breast Care Services is to provide state-of-the-art diagnostics, education and testing for breast health in a confidential, comfortable setting. It emphasizes patient education, regular screening and the importance of early breast cancer detection. Through its six sites, Betty Ford Breast Care Services annually performs:

50,000 Mammograms
45,000 Computer Aided Detections
1,850 Minimally Invasive Biopsies
8,884 Other Diagnostic Procedures (such as breast ultrasound, breast MRI, galactograms, and pre-surgical needle localizations).

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, a collection of seven hospitals and more than 140 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group, mmpc® and West Michigan Heart-physician groups totaling more than 400 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with nearly 580,000 members. Spectrum Health’s 16,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,200 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care. The organization provided $79.4 million in community benefit during its 2009 fiscal year. As a system, Spectrum Health has earned more than 100 awards since it was formed in 1997.