The Netcare Milpark Breast Care Centre of Excellence has been granted a three-year, full accreditation by the National Accreditation Programme for Breast Centres (NAPBC), administered by the American College of Surgeons.
The facility, which was the first breast care centre of excellence to be established in the private sector in South Africa some 16 years ago, received 100% compliance to 29 standards, it said in a press release.
At present only three breast care centres outside of the US that have been accredited by the NAPBC.
Specialist surgeon and breast disease specialist, Professor Carol Ann Benn, who established the Netcare Milpark Breast Care Centre of Excellence in association with Netcare, said that international accreditation of the facility is a particularly noteworthy development for South African patients, as it validates and fully supports the multidisciplinary approach that has long been the foundation of the work being done by the team at the centre.
“Too many patients are faced with having to make alarming and stressful decisions about their health without the knowledge or any idea of where to turn. Accreditation ensures that careful due process protects patients within the healthcare system, who are at their most vulnerable when faced with a diagnosis of cancer,” the release quotes her as saying.
“The accreditation guarantees ‘protected’ patient care by ensuring that all patients’ treatment options are discussed by a team of experts and that doctors are required to follow safe international guidelines when suggesting treatment options.
"In other words, there is no possibility of an individual doctor imposing rushed treatment suggestions on patients,” said Benn.
A NAPBC-accredited centre ensures patients 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 on-going clinical trials and new treatment options; and top quality breast care, according to the press release.
“The Netcare Milpark breast programme is outstanding. The physicians and staff are committed to providing care compliant with the standards outlined by the NAPBC. We congratulate them on obtaining NAPBC accreditation,” the NAPBC said in the citation.
The centre follows a comprehensive approach to the management of breast conditions and diseases. The multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals are involved in the diagnosis, clinical assessment, counselling, treatment including breast reconstruction, and patient support. The centre is, furthermore, highly focused on community initiatives including awareness, education, and access to care for patients who do not have comprehensive medical insurance.
“Nowadays the vast majority of conditions can be successfully treated without surgery and all without emergency surgery. Patients faced with breast conditions are often rushed into treatment but the old fashioned radical mastectomy is an operation of the past," said Benn in the press release.
"Today, almost all women should have choice around the different types of cancer surgery. They should also have access to immediate reconstructions undertaken by a specialised team, and should under no circumstances be having surgery to ‘find out if this is cancer’.
“Accreditation internationally has improved patient care by ensuring doctor compliance to high standards and clinical governance. Accredited units have to collect data, as well as feedback, on outcomes while ensuring high standards.”
Benn added: “High-profile campaigns in the media have made most South African women aware that breast cancer poses a very real risk. However, the public should also be mindful that we are seeing younger and younger women. The message we need to convey is that this disease can affect anyone and that most women who get breast cancer do not have risk factors.
“The implication for South African women is important: we should be taking proactive steps for women to be ‘breast aware’ from a young age. The earlier it is detected and treated, the better the prognosis. When it comes to treating a cancer that has been diagnosed, our centre will tailor-make the treatment to the specific needs of the patient. Every woman has a unique relationship with her breasts, and we take that into account.”