Belleville, New Jersey—October 31, 2022—The Center for Breast Health and Disease Management at Clara Maass Medical Center has received a Certificate of Accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a Program of the American College of Surgeons Quality Portal and a hallmark of excellence.
To achieve NAPBC accreditation, the Center for Breast Health and Disease Management at Clara Maass demonstrated compliance with rigorous NAPBC standards that addressed its leadership, clinical services, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement for patients. Breast Centers seeking NAPBC accreditation undergo a site visit every three years.
Patients receiving care at the Center for Breast Health and Disease Management at Clara Maass have access to information on clinical trials and new treatment options, genetic counseling, and patient-centered services including psychosocial support, rehabilitation services, and survivorship care.
“We are so proud of the hard work and dedication that went into achieving the NAPBC accreditation,” said Mary Ellen Clyne, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Clara Maass Medical Center. “Accreditation by the NAPBC is granted only to those programs that are committed to providing breast cancer patients with the highest quality care.”
Maria J. Kowzun, MD, Director of the Center for Breast Health and Disease Management at Clara Maass Medical Center, said “Patients can be confident that our breast care team is committed to providing them with the highest level of care throughout their entire course of treatment. Our patients will receive a full range of state-of-the art services, seamless coordination of care and information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options, so they can make informed decisions about their health care.”
Frank Mazzarella, MD, Chief Continuum of Care and Clinical Services Officer, Clara Maass Medical Center, said, “This was the first time we sought NAPBC accreditation, and we met all of the rigorous standards of excellence that were required of us. This is a testimonial to the great work being done by our breast cancer team at Clara Maass.”
Clara Maass Medical Center, part RWJBarnabas Health, is aligned with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
About the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers
The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers represents a consortium of national professional organizations dedicated to the quality of care of patients with diseases of the breast. Its board membership includes professionals from more than 20 national organizations that represent the full spectrum of breast care. For more information, visit NAPBC.
About Clara Maass Medical Center
Founded in 1869 as the Newark German Hospital, Clara Maass Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is celebrating more than 150 years of service to the community. Conveniently located in Belleville, NJ, Clara Maass Medical Center is a 472-bed hospital that offers a complete continuum of care to residents of northern New Jersey.
Clara Maass Medical Center has completed a state-of-the-art campus expansion of its Emergency Department, Operating Rooms and Post Anesthesia Care Unit with the addition of a four-story, 87,000 square foot medical office building that features a private Intensive Care Unit, main entrance and lobby, retail pharmacy and patient registration area. Designated by the New Jersey Department of Health as a Primary Stroke Center, the Medical Center has earned national recognition in patient safety and quality from Healthgrades and The Leapfrog Group.
The Medical Center leads the state in performing advanced treatment in ophthalmology and has earned certifications in Disease-Specific Care from The Joint Commission in Acute Coronary Syndrome, Congestive Heart Failure, Elective Hip and Knee Replacement, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Advanced Certification in Palliative Care and has earned accreditation in Bariatric Surgery by the Aetna Institute of Quality program. In partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Clara Maass Medical Center offers an excellent team of researchers and specialists to fight most types of cancer, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. Committed to the health and wellness of its community, the Center of Excellence for Latino Health at Clara Maass Medical Center was established to address the social determinants of health within the local Hispanic community.
The first in the country to be named for a nurse, the hospitals’ namesake, Clara Louise Maass was posthumously inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering eight counties with five million people. The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville; Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth; three acute care children's hospitals; Children’s Specialized Hospital, including a network of outpatient centers; a behavioral health center and the state’s largest behavioral health network; two trauma centers; a satellite emergency department; ambulatory care centers; geriatric centers; comprehensive home care and hospice programs; fitness and wellness centers; retail pharmacy services; an affiliated medical group; multi-site imaging centers; and two accountable care organizations.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers – with more than 38,000 employees and 9,000 physicians – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers University, is New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research, and clinical activities, including those at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.
Media Contact:
Carrie Snow
973-450-2989
carrie.snow@rwjbh.org