MultiCare Regional Cancer Center attains national accreditation

The MultiCare Regional Cancer Center in Tacoma was recently granted a three-year, full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, marking it as regional leader in the field.

According to the NAPBC, a breast center awarded this accreditation demonstrates a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease. Accreditation is only given to centers that voluntarily commit to provide the highest level of quality breast care and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.

“We are thrilled to have been recognized among the leaders in the field of breast care through our recent NAPBC accreditation,” says Blair Irwin, MD, medical oncology. “It is our privilege to care for our patients throughout their health care journey. We strive to provide the highest quality breast disease care.”

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

- Quality breast care close to home

During the survey process, the center demonstrated compliance with standards 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.

“Our strong partnership with the Carol Milgard Breast Center, which provides imaging and diagnostics for all breast patients in Tacoma, played a critical role in helping us achieve this accreditation,” Irwin adds. “Our designation is the result of meaningful teamwork as we work together to provide the best care for breast cancer patients in our community.”

The NAPBC, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons, 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. For more information about the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, visit their website at www.accreditedbreastcenters.org.

MultiCare Regional Cancer Center has four locations: Tacoma, Auburn, Gig Harbor and Puyallup.

MultiCare Health System is a not-for-profit health care organization with more than 16,000 employees and a comprehensive system of health including numerous primary care, urgent care and specialty services — including Immediate Clinic, MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care and Pulse Heart Institute — MultiCare Medical Associates, Navos Mental Health Solutions, affiliated physicians and a wide range of community outreach programs. Seven hospitals complete our organization: Allenmore Hospital, Auburn Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Deaconess Hospital, Valley Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital — the region’s only children’s hospital and state-designated Level II Pediatric Trauma Center for Western Washington — and Tacoma General Hospital, which is home to the region’s only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.