Advocate Lutheran General Caldwell Breast Center Receives National Accreditation

Advocate Lutheran General Caldwell Breast Center in Park Ridge has been granted a three-year/Full accreditation designation for the second time in a row by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. 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. 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.

"It is critical in this day and age for a breast center to be accredited by the American College of Surgeons because it assures our patients that we are a truly comprehensive breast center, encompassing all aspects of breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment," said Dr. Heidi Memmel, Co-Medical Director of the Caldwell Breast Center.

"For a breast center to be an accredited program, it must prove that all of its components are at the highest standards, so that patients can be confident that they are getting the best possible care. We, at the Caldwell Breast Center, work very hard to exceed these standards and set the bar for the Chicago area."

Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center ensures that a patient will have access to extensive care and a full range of state-of-the-art services. At Advocate Lutheran General Hospital there is comprehensive and compassionate team that offers same-day mammograms with same-day results, advanced technology for early detection and treatment, coordinated care from diagnosis to survivorship, leading-edge clinical research trials, and quality breast care close to home.