August 3, 2015, Summit, NJ – Overlook Medical Center, a hospital of Atlantic Health System, announced today that its Breast Center received accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) of the American College of Surgeons. This is the highest form of clinical and quality care recognition for breast centers in the United States.
“As a center of excellence we demonstrate that Overlook Medical Center provides the highest level of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment available nationally,” says Bonni Guerin, MD, Chair, Breast Program Leadership. “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.”
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 20 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of breast care.
Overlook Medical Center is also identified as a Best Practice hospital for Patient Navigation and has been chosen to be part of the NAPBC Best Practice Repository.
“As a Best Practice hospital, other breast centers have the opportunity to learn from our program, especially in the area of nurse navigation,” says Sandra Wrigley, RN, CN-BN, CMF, Breast Nurse Navigator at Overlook Medical Center.
The NAPBC Best Practice Repository is an evolving online repository of best practice relating to NAPBC Accreditation. This repository will provide documents and other tools that breast centers may find useful in meeting NAPBC Standards.
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.
Overlook Medical Center offers comprehensive breast care in a multidisciplinary setting. The Overlook team and services include: medical-, surgical-, and radiation oncologists, fellowship-trained breast radiologists, pathologists, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, and access to national clinical trials. The program offers nurses trained in breast health, breast nurse navigators, physical therapists, lymphedema therapists, social workers, a dietitian, and a genetic counselor. Many support services are offered to help patients and their families cope with breast cancer. Services include a breast cancer support group, pre-breast surgery education classes, nutrition education, counseling, integrative therapies that include massage, Reiki, yoga, stress management techniques, mindfulness meditation and art therapy.
Services that make Overlook Medical Center stand out from other Breast Centers include:
- a comprehensive Breast Cancer Prevention Program that includes genetic evaluation and testing led by Dr. Guerin;
- tomosynthesis, or 3-D breast imaging a breakthrough in mammography that provides a clearer, more accurate view compared to digital mammography alone and consistently shows improved breast cancer detection rates, especially invasive cancers, and a decrease in call backs; and
- accelerated breast radiation where high dose radiation is administered in a much shorter time frame and in a prone (lying face down) position, which reduces radiation exposure to the skin and vital organs, such as the heart and lungs.
Visit for more information about the Breast Center at Overlook Medical Center>
For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit here>
About Overlook Medical Center
Overlook Medical Center, based in Summit, NJ, is part of Atlantic Health System. The 504-bed hospital has more than 3,900 employees and 1,470 physicians and noted as a premier center for neuroscience and brain care in New Jersey. Its two Emergency Departments in Summit and Union, NJ, see more than 96,600 visits every year. Clinical centers of excellence include the Atlantic Neuroscience Institute; Brain Tumor Center of New Jersey; Epilepsy Center; Spine Center; Carol G. Simon Cancer Center and Breast Center; Center for Digestive Diseases and Colo-rectal Surgery; Institute of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases; Frank and Mimi Walsh Maternity Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; and Adolescent Eating Disorders. U.S. News & World Report recognizes Overlook Medical Center among the best hospitals in central New Jersey and as a “Best Regional Hospital” for neurology & neurosurgery.
About Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System, headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, is one of the largest non-profit healthcare systems in New Jersey. It includes Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ; Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ; Newton Medical Center in Newton, NJ; Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ; and Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, as well as Atlantic Rehabilitation, and Atlantic Home Care and Hospice. It also includes its subsidiary, Atlantic Ambulance Corporation. Atlantic Health System comprises 1,599 licensed beds, more than 14,000 employees and more than 4,000 physicians. Atlantic Health System has a medical school affiliation with the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University; a Major Clinical Affiliate of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey; part of Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, one of the largest ACOs in the nation, and is a member of AllSpire Health Partners.