Oct. 22, 2009
CHARLESTON -- The Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).
Hollings' Comprehensive Breast Care Program is the only Lowcountry breast center to hold NAPBC status.
NAPBC recognition, administered by the American College of Surgeons, is a three-year accreditation given only to centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the best in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and are able to comply with established NAPBC standards. Each center must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with the NAPBC standards.
"NAPBC accreditation sends a clear message that we will continue raising the bar for ourselves and settle for nothing less than the best in caring for cancer patients," said Andrew S. Kraft, MD, director of the Hollings Cancer Center. "We are proud of this accreditation, and we are proud of the team that earns it everyday."
Megan Baker, MD, a breast surgeon and director of the Comprehensive Breast Care Program at Hollings, said patients fare best under a team-based multidisciplinary care model.
"This accreditation validates the wonderful and compassionate commitment the members of the Hollings comprehensive breast care team have made to our patients. We are thrilled and energized to continue in our efforts to improve in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of breast cancer for the women of South Carolina."
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 options
• Quality breast care close to home.
As the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, Hollings offers comprehensive breast care in a multidisciplinary setting. The Hollings team and services include: medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, plastic surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, clinical trials, genetic counseling, psychological support, and nutrition education.
About Hollings Cancer Center
Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina is a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center and the largest academic-based cancer program in South Carolina. The cancer center and has more than $35M in cancer research funding and more than 200 people are currently participating on a cancer clinical trial at HCC.
Hollings Cancer Center offers state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques and has multidisciplinary clinics that involve surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation therapists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and many other specialists seeing patients under one roof. Multidisciplinary care is provided in disease specific clinics such as thoracic, breast, head & neck, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, hematological, and pediatric cancers. For more information, please visit www.hcc.musc.edu.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 11,000 employees, including 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.6 billion. MUSC operates a 750-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu or www.muschealth.com.
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