This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Longmont United Hospital’s Breast Care Center has been granted 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 designation is a significant achievement and it demonstrates our commitment to providing top quality, whole person care to the women of our community,” said Gerlinde Tynan, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Breast Surgeon at Longmont United Hospital. “Our innovative programs, compassionate caregivers and state-of-the-art technology will give women a significant advantage in their battle against breast cancer.”
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting American women excluding skin cancer. A woman in the U.S. has a 1 in 8 chance that she will develop breast cancer at some point in her life. The ACS also estimates about 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women during 2018.
“We have several 3D mammography machines. We just got a brand new MRI,” Tynan said. “We have the most modern linear accelerator in Boulder County. We do newer types of radiation, called partial breast radiation, where instead of a woman with cancer having to do six weeks of radiation, she can do it in five days. That's because of the machine and some of the devices that we use.”
NAPBC-accredited centers embrace the entire spectrum of cancer care, providing women with access to a range of board-certified specialists, including breast surgeons, breast radiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, plastic/reconstructive surgeons, genetic counselors and psycho-social support professionals. Accredited centers also offer breast nurse navigators, patient education and support, palliative care programs, survivorship programs and high-risk clinics.
“Residents don't have to leave their hometown or their community to get top-notch care. We've been following the national standards, we have everything that any place else has,” Tynan said. “Having the accreditation will give us more clout, if you will, within the system, to have resources for new equipment, increased staff, the things that you need to run any sort of a program. It will help us be credible in the community with patients to say, ‘Hey I feel that I can stay in Longmont for my care because this is an accredited program.’”
Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality 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, including proficiency in the areas of center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement.
“The most important thing women can do for their breast health is to get an annual mammogram,” says Longmont United Hospital Breast Radiologist, Hilarie Gutierrez, MD. “At Longmont United Hospital, we keep your care local and guide you every step of the way from mammograms to surgery to genetic counseling to survivorship programs.”
