Cookeville Regional Medical Center has taken their breast program to the next level and is now among an elite group of institutions nationwide providing breast care after receiving a three-year/full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. This achievement makes Cookeville Regional’s breast program the only accredited breast center in the Upper Cumberland.
“We strive to be recognized as leaders in providing the best breast care, and now with this accreditation we take another step in being just that for our patients,” said Lisa Bagci, director of the Cancer Center at Cookeville Regional.
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. The breast program at Cookeville Regional has met all the requirements and demonstrated 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.
“It is a lot of work to be designated a National Accredited Program and it could not happen without our passionate physicians and staff members joining together. We are a comprehensive breast center. It all starts at the Women’s Center, but our Cancer Center, pathology, imaging, and surgeons work alongside each other and that makes this program successful. From screening patients through oncology treatment, everyone is team. We are honored to be designated a National Accredited Program,” said Bagci.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 232,570 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2014.
In addition, hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign breast disease this year will require medical evaluation for treatment options.
“This service is a must at Cookeville Regional. We are here to serve the women of the Upper Cumberland and to help them, and even their families, through their journey. Good news or not-so-good news we are here with you every step of the way,” said Michelle Zellner, director of the Imaging Center. “And not only do we have the NAPBC accreditation, the breast imaging center has also been designated a center of excellence by the American College of Radiology. With both organizations putting their seal of approval on our program, women in our region can rest assured that they are getting the best in breast care at Cookeville Regional, from the screening process to diagnosis and treatment.”
- 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.
About the Women’s Center
The breast imaging services at The Women’s Center are fully accredited in mammography and digital mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy. Whether one needs to schedule their baseline mammogram, learn more about their diagnosis, receive breast cancer treatments or participate in clinical trials, the Women’s Center’s JOURNEYTM program offers the services women need in the comfort of a luxury spa. From a free coffee service, to the services of a personal nurse navigator who is there to answer questions and help make choices, the Women’s Center has what women need to maintain good breast health.
The Women’s Center is conveniently located in Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s Outpatient Imaging Center at 251 West 3rd Street-just one block from the hospital’s main campus. One of the newest capabilities is providing breast biopsies guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The addition of this service makes The Women’s Center the only comprehensive breast imaging center in the Upper Cumberland and the only one designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
For more information about The Women’s Center visit www.crmchealth.org/womenscenter or learn about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit their Web site at www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.
