West Michigan Cancer Center, in collaboration with Borgess Medical Center and Bronson Methodist Hospital, has been granted a three-year/full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast
Centers (NAPBC). NAPBC is 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.
During the survey process, 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.
“I believe that we have all become better breast cancer doctors by participating
in WMCC’s breast cancer conference because of the interaction with all the
specialties that deal with this disease, said Nancy Kalinowski, MD, General
Surgeon at Healthcare Midwest. “By receiving this accreditation, it assures that
we are meeting the standards and providing quality care to our patients”, she
added.
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 national organizations that reflect the
full spectrum of breast care.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 192,370
patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 20091.
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
And, most importantly,
Quality breast care close to home.
For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast
Centers, visit their website at http://www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization
of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice
and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the
ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly
influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it
as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than
77,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For
more information, visit http://www.facs.org.
About the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC)
NAPBC is a consortium of national, professional organizations dedicated
to the improvement of the quality of care and the monitoring of outcomes
for patients with diseases of the breast. For more information, visit
http://www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.
About WMCC
Founded in 1994 as collaboration between Borgess Health and Bronson
Methodist Hospital, WMCC offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary, integrative
cancer treatment in a four-floor, 55,000 square feet facility located at 200 North
Park Street in downtown Kalamazoo. Today, the WMCC averages nearly 80,000
patient visits a year by Southwest Michigan residents.
Service offerings include radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging including the
PET/CT scan, medical oncology, gynecologic oncology and neuro oncology,
laboratory services, pharmacy services, genetic counseling, social and
psychological services, support services including tai chi, yoga, massage and
nutrition/cooking classes, financial counseling, homecare and transportation
services, hospice, a resource center and several support groups. The
center is also home to the Breast Cancer Clinic & Neuro-Oncology Clinic, a
multidisciplinary treatment approach for patients with a new diagnosis of breast
or brain cancer and hosts other tumor-specific comprehensive conferences and
clinics.
Staff includes medical oncology physicians, radiation oncology physicians,
gynecologic oncology physicians, pharmacists, physicists, radiation therapists,
oncology certified nurses and support staff. A CEO/CMO and a board of trustees
of community and medical leaders make up the leadership team. WMCC is
an NCI-designated Community Clinical Oncology Program and conducts NCI-
sponsored clinical trials.
WMCC is one of the first oncology practices in the nation to be recognized
by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an
affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The Center is also
accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons,
the American College of Radiation Oncology, the American College of Radiology
Imaging Network and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.
