WVU Cancer Institute attains American College of Surgeons National Accreditation Program for Breast Cancer accreditation

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – 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.

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 improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. 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 88,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “F.A.C.S.” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.