South Nassau Communities Hospital of Oceanside's Center for Breast Health earns national honor

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South Nassau Communities Hospital’s Center for Breast Health has been granted a three-year, full re-accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. The center earned its initial NAPBC accreditation in 2013 and was re-accredited in 2016.
To achieve the re-accreditation, South Nassau complied with standards established by the NAPBC to provide exceptional care to patients with breast diseases.The standards include proficiency in the areas of leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement. Administered by the American College of Surgeons, NAPBC accreditation is awarded only to centers that voluntarily commit to provide the highest level of quality breast care and undergo a rigorous evaluation of their performance.
“Our team of accomplished breast specialists uses a range of advanced treatment therapies and surgical technology so that our patients achieve the best possible outcomes,” said Dr. Rajiv Datta, department chair of surgery and medical director of South Nassau’s Gertrude & Louis Feil Cancer Center. “This same team then works to develop the treatment plans specific to the unique needs of our patients.”
By achieving NAPBC accreditation, South Nassau has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients advantages in their battle against breast disease. This includes comprehensive care with a full range of state-of-the-art services, a multidisciplinary team to coordinate the best treatment options, information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatments and quality care close to home.
“This prestigious accreditation validates that South Nassau is living up to its commitment to provide women with comprehensive breast health services and care that is tailored to their specific needs,” said Richard J. Murphy, South Nassau’s president and CEO.

The Center for Breast Health, combined with South Nassau’s Center for Women’s Imaging, offers a full spectrum of clinical and support services, from screening and diagnosis to treatment and counseling. Detecting breast cancer in its earliest stage is one of its main focuses. As a designated Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology, the center uses an array of state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, including digital mammography, high-resolution ultrasound and MRI of the breast, to detect breast disease in its earliest stage. Minimally invasive procedures can detect breast cancer long before it becomes a serious threat to a person’s health and wellness.
If a tumor or abnormality is detected, the center uses the most advanced treatments and uses targeted surgical techniques that aim to preserve as much of the healthy breast and surrounding areas as possible. This includes Contura multi-channel and Mammosite single-channel balloon brachytherapy techniques, which use a balloon catheter to deliver highly localized radiation to the lumpectomy bed; breast-conserving surgery, commonly known as lumpectomy, in which only the tumor or abnormality is removed from the breast; or mastectomy, a removal of the breast. For invasive breast cancer, these procedures may be accompanied by a sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection if needed.
The center also specializes in Oncoplasty, which combines surgical cancer removal with plastic surgery for a superior cosmetic result. Whole-body or “systemic” treatments, such as hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of two of the three, may follow either surgical approach. If early-stage breast cancer is present, sentinel lymph node biopsy is used as an alternative to traditional lymph node dissection.

Courtesy South Nassau Communities Hospital; compiled by Briana Bonfiglio.