Area July 13, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 13 The Valley Hospital Breast Center has been granted a full three-year accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. This distinction is awarded only 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. “We are pleased and proud to have received this designation, which serves as a benchmark to patients, identifying those facilities that provide the highest-quality care,” said breast surgeon Laura A. Klein, M.D., medical director of the Breast Center. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2010 approximately 207,090 women in the United States would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Exceptional expert care is the key to overcoming this disease. During the accreditation 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. A breast center that Valley’s Breast Center Receives National Accreditation achieves NAPBC accreditation has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease. Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center ensures that a patient will have access to: • Comprehensive care, including a full range of stateof-the-art services; • A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options; • Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options; and, most importantly; • Quality breast care close to home. Valley’s Breast Center has also been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. In addition, Valley is the only New Jersey hospital to hold Joint Commission Certification – the coveted Gold Seal of Approval – for cancer care in five clinical areas, including breast cancer. The center is 100 percent digital and is the only site in Bergen and Passaic counties to offer breast MRI coil technology. Breast surgeon Laura A. Klein, M.D., serves as the Breast Center’s medical director. Dr. Klein joined Valley from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. She is currently an assistant clinical professor of surgery at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Valley’s team of experts includes board-certified radiologists, board-certified cytopathologists, and boardcertified surgeons with expertise in breast surgery. In addition, patients are assisted by a nurse navigator who makes certain patients seeking breast care receive the services they need in an efficient, cost-effective manner; a genetic counselor; and female mammography technologists who have undergone special training and have advanced certification in mammography. For more information about Valley’s Breast Center, call (201) 447-8422, or visit www.valleyhealth.com. 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 15 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of breast care. For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit www.accreditedbreastcenters.org. (continued from page 12) have the financial or emotional support to help them get through a major illness like cancer. Please remember: We do not charge anything for our services. We rely on you! ECF representatives are available to discuss our programs at your next fundraiser or event. If you have a few hours a week to spare, consider becoming a volunteer, or just stop by and meet with us, Emmanuel asks... take a look at our pantry, and see what ECF is all about. Call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. Our storage space is limited. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue, Midland Park, NJ 07432. Visit us on the web at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families!