Registry Partners attended the 2019 – American College of Surgeons Cluster Programs conference. On April 7, 2019 the conference was devoted to pursuing excellence through NAPBC accreditation.
What are the benefits of NAPBC Accreditation?
Accreditation improves quality patient outcomes, which has a trickle-down effect. Improved quality means increased patient satisfaction. Today’s healthcare decision-makers are savvy and make decisions on where to go for their care based on satisfaction. Patients share that information with friends and relatives. Accreditation provides the organization with a culture of quality and accountability providing benchmark data for where their center ranks relative to other cancer centers. Accreditation ensures an organization provides the best, most consistent, and cost-effective care,
How does my organization become NAPBC accredited?
You’ve chosen to become NAPBC accredited. Congratulations! Now what?
- First, visit the Accreditation Resources and FAQs page, and download a copy of the NAPBC Standards Manual.
- Once 12 months of program activity is documented, submit an online application and sign the Business Associate Agreement. You will be notified of your application’s approval within 30 days.
- Then its as simple as paying the accreditation fee, logging into the NAPBC Portal and completing your breast center’s profile, then start documenting details into your Survey Application Record (SAR).
- Once your center is assigned a surveyor and a survey date is proposed, you’re on your way!
Some key tips for preparing for NAPBC survey:
- Use the NAPBC resources on the website. Worksheets, treatment guidelines, sample resources as well as FAQs.
- Prepare on an ongoing basis.
- Start auditing your breast charts, including those with benign breast disease.
- Identify staff available for survey
- Confirm schedule and date with surveyor
- Complete SAR 30 days prior to survey
- Pay the invoice
- Generate the required accession list
- Manage logistics
- Ask for help from your colleagues, visit the CA Forum or reach out to the NAPBC accreditation team NAPBC@facs.org or call 312-502-5185.
What’s on the horizon for Accredited Cancer Programs?
The following Breast quality measures are currently under consideration by CoC/NAPBC:
- SNBx: Inappropriate use of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for DCIS with breast conserving surgery
- SLN3: At least three SLN harvested in patients treated with neoadjuvant treatment undergoing breast conserving therapy without an axillary dissection
- Zo11: Axillary dissection not performed for 1 or 2 positive SLN in breast conserving therapy (ACOSOG Zo11)
- hyWBRT: hypo fractionated whole breast irradiation is utilized for patients with invasive breast cancer after breast conserving surgery who will undergo whole breast radiation without regional node irradiation.
Quality measures will be discussed in detail at the 2019 ACS Quality and Safety Conference July 20-21, 2019 meeting.
Education on the CoC Standard changes in 2020 will be held at the Commission on Cancer Educational Summit November 21-22, 2019.