Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center renews national accreditation

Fairfield, CT (July 17, 2014) – Bridgeport Hospital’s Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center (NPBCC) has been reaccredited by the prestigious National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) for meeting high standards in patient care quality, patient and staff education, and other important areas. The accreditation covers the center’s locations at Bridgeport Hospital and in Fairfield.

The NAPBC surveyor described the breast care center as “exemplary.” His comments reflected most highly on the center’s staff. He praised the center’s leadership, patient navigators and other healthcare providers. He also cited the center’s extensive support and wellness programs, describing them as “unique” and “innovative.”

The center’s support services have grown significantly in the last few years with individual and group counseling, and support groups for patients and families impacted by breast and other cancers.

“The breast care center is dedicated to providing comprehensive and coordinated breast care to the community,” said Mary Pronovost, MD, the center’s medical director. “Accreditation by the NAPBC lets women know they are getting the best care available locally without having to travel a great distance.”

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) is a consortium of national, professional organizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality of care and the monitoring of outcomes for patients with diseases of the breast. The NAPBC is administered by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer.

Part of Bridgeport Hospital and the Yale New Haven Health System, the Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center has served more than 20,000 women and their families since it was established in 1999. One of only 200 sites accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), the center provides a wide range of diagnostic care and treatment at its Bridgeport Hospital and Fairfield locations, including medical oncology, surgical and chemotherapy services, plastic surgery, mammography and radiation therapy, and genetic risk assessment as well as opportunities to participate in clinical trials.

The breast care center office at 111 Beach Road in Fairfield also provides comprehensive women’s wellness services, including nutrition counseling, massage and Reiki therapy, wig and prosthesis fitting, counseling, yoga, Pilates, naturopathic medicine, and other patient support activities. The center has a satellite office on Park Avenue in Trumbull. The center is a member of the prestigious National Consortium of Breast Care Centers. For more information, call 203.255.5300 or visit online.

Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit 501-bed acute care hospital with two campuses (plus 42 beds licensed to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital). Its Bridgeport and Milford Campuses serve patients from across the region. The hospital admits more than 23,000 patients and provides nearly 350,000 outpatient treatments annually. The Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital is the only burn center in the state and one of only 64 verified burn centers in the United States. Bridgeport Hospital is committed to providing safe, compassionate and cost efficient care to its patients and the community. www.bridgeporthospital.org