Berkshire Health Systems Comprehensive Breast Center Lauded

PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire Health Systems Comprehensive Breast Center has been recognized as a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence in the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers Program (NQMBC), and is currently the only one in Massachusetts so honored. Certification lasts for one year.

“This level of excellence is made possible by the ongoing commitment of our team of breast-health providers across the spectrum of care at Berkshire Health Systems, who work to provide the highest level of care for our community,” said Dr. Lisa Loring, medical director of the BMC Women’s Imaging Center. “As a native of Berkshire County, I know what a close-knit community we are. The people we care for are our neighbors, friends, and loved ones, and I am proud of our staff for consistently striving for excellence.”

Measuring and comparing quality performance is essential in assessing patient care and allocating resources where improvement is desired. In today’s dynamic healthcare industry, breast centers are faced with providing quality care while simultaneously keeping costs under control. The BHS program staff must be not only familiar with existing standards of care, but also aware of new advances in technology.

The National Quality Measures for Breast Centers were developed by referencing the Health Care Advisory Board’s Clinical Quality Dash Board for breast centers, published in 2004. The NQMBC reflects more than five years of work, which culminated in the adoption of over 33 national quality indicators, measuring quality across the continuum of care, including radiology, medical and radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and plastic surgery.