The WVU Cancer Institute announced that it has received its fourth consecutive accreditation designation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States after skin cancers. Programs accredited by the NAPBC follow a model for organizing and managing a breast center, facilitating multidisciplinary, integrated and comprehensive breast cancer services. The NAPBC focuses on the spectrum of a patient’s journey with breast cancer or breast disease, including prevention, screening, treatment and survivorship. By setting high standards, NAPBC accreditation guides breast centers in providing comprehensive breast care based on scientific evidence.

“As one of the first adopters of NAPBC accreditation, receiving this designation for the fourth time underscores our long-standing commitment to providing nationally-recognized, high-quality care to women in West Virginia and beyond,” said Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, M.D., executive chair and director of the WVU Cancer Institute. “Our multidisciplinary approach continues to set us apart, enabling us to craft personalized care plans with the collective expertise of our team, ensuring survivorship resources are part of our care from the very beginning.”

As an NAPBC-accredited institution, WVU Cancer Institute also becomes an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. The Surgical Quality Partner designation signifies an institution’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on process at every step. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous quality standards.

“ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience, and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality,” Patricia L. Turner, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., ACS executive director and chief executive officer, said. “As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, WVU Cancer Institute has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement.”

For more information on the WVU Cancer Institute, visit wvucancer.org. To learn more about the NAPBC, visit their website at www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.