Breast wellness center in Derby wins recognition

DERBY - The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital has achieved the highest level of quality breast health care recognition from the American College of Surgeons.

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons, recently granted a Full Three-Year Accreditation designation to the Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness. 

Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest standard of 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.

“We’re extremely proud to earn this comprehensive designation,” said Denise Barajas, MD, medical director of The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness.
“Breast centers that achieve the NAPBC accreditation demonstrate strong dedication to offering patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease.”

The American Cancer Society estimated that 232,340 patients will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2013. 

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

·         Quality breast care close to home.

About NAPBC

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 20 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of breast care.

About The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital

Located at 300 Seymour Ave. in Derby, The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital combines advanced technology, a team of highly trained physicians, breast and reconstructive surgeons and patient navigators, and a Planetree healing environment to offer our patients a comprehensive range of personalized breast care and wellness services.

The Center features state-of-the-art digital mammography suites equipped with 3D mammography, a breast ultrasound suite, and the most advanced system available to perform stereotactic biopsy. With all of these resources under one roof, the Center provides fast and accurate diagnosis, alleviating our patients’ anxiety.
The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness is a designated Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR). In awarding the status of a “Breast Imaging Center of Excellence,” the ACR recognizes that The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness demonstrates excellence in breast imaging by successfully earning accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, and breast ultrasound (including ultrasound-guided breast biopsy).

For more information, call 203-732-1300 or visit breast-center.griffinhealth.org.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.