Washington Hospital Program Achieves National Breast Center Accreditation

Fremont, Calif. – April 16, 2013 - Washington Hospital today announced its latest achievement, a three-year full accreditation designation of its Breast Health Program from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons.

The Washington Women’s Center Breast Health Program is a leader in providing high quality, diagnostic, treatment, education and support services for women. In 2009, it was the first in Northern California, and only the third in the state, to be fully accredited by the NAPBC. “This latest recognition is a testament to the hard work of a truly talented and dedicated group of physicians, nurses and support staff who, working together, here at Washington Hospital are creating a facility that not only serves the needs of our residents, but does so at a level second to none,” said Nancy Farber, CEO.

“We’re extremely proud of this achievement because of what it means to the level of care we provide our community,” said Dr. William Dugoni, medical director of Washington Hospital’s Women’s Health Program and co-chair of the Breast Health Committee. “Our team approach to the treatment of breast disease is resulting in the highest standards of care being provided to our patients. We are committed to providing patients with quality care close to home and this accreditation confirms that patients with breast disease are receiving the full spectrum of treatment and follow-up care at our facility.”

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.

“This accreditation means that women treated at Washington Hospital have access to state-ofthe-art services and comprehensive breast care,” said Dr. Vandana B. Sharma, medical director of Washington Hospital’s Cancer Genetics Program and co-chair of the Breast Health Committee. “Every patient treated at Washington Hospital is provided access to highly trained specialists who are experts in the detection and treatment of breast disease. This multidisciplinary approach to care ensures that women will be informed about the latest clinical trials and new treatment options.”

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. A breast center that 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 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, most importantly,
• Quality breast care close to home.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 232,340 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 20131 In addition, hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign breast disease this year will require medical evaluation for treatment options.

The Washington Women’s Center Breast Health Program ensures seamless access to hospitalbased services and a team approach to patient-centered care which includes: Breast Tumor Board, Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Series, Reach to Recovery Volunteers, Breast Cancer Support Group and the Breast Care Conference. To learn more about the programs and services offered at the Washington Women’s Center, visit www.whhs.com/womenscenter.

About Washington Township Health Care District: Washington Township Health Care District is governed by an elected board of directors. Unlike a municipal or county hospital, Washington Hospital’s operating expenses, research, community programs, and employee salaries are funded by revenues generated through providing patient and other health care services. Washington Hospital Healthcare System includes a 389-bed acute-care hospital; the Taylor McAdam Bell Neuroscience Institute; The Gamma Knife® Center; Washington Radiation Oncology Center; Washington Outpatient Surgery Center; Washington Outpatient Rehabilitation Center; Washington Interventional Center; Institute for Joint Restoration and Research; the Institute for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery; and Washington West, a complex which houses Washington Women’s Center, Outpatient Imaging Center, Sandy Amos R.N. Infusion Center, Washington Urgent Care and additional outpatient hospital services and administrative facilities.