Standard 2.20 – Breast Cancer Survivorship Phase-in Implementation Plan is effective January 1, 2015. Is your cancer center prepared? The expectation of the standard is that 100% of eligible survivors receive a Survivorship Care Plan (SCP). However, a phased-in implementation will be used. The specific survey requirements by survey date are outlined below.
When this new mandate was put into place we realized a deeper focus was being placed on the patient and patient needs. A 2012 report by the American Cancer Society estimates there are 13.7 million cancer survivors in the United States today, and that number is expected to increase to almost 18 million by 2022. The 3 most common cancers among female survivors are breast cancer (41%), uterine cancer (8%), and colon and rectal cancer (8%). Those percentages are expected to stay roughly the same through 2022.
The treatments for breast cancer are complex and extend over a long period of time. The post-treatment period is characterized by gradual recovery from many adverse effects from treatment; however, many symptoms and problems persist as late effects (eg, infertility, menopausal symptoms, fatigue), and there may be less frequent long-term effects (eg, second cancers, lymphedema, osteoporosis). There is increasing recognition of the need to summarize the patient’s course of treatment into a formal document, called the cancer treatment summary, that also includes recommendations for subsequent cancer surveillance, management of late effects, and strategies for health promotion.
The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) is a consortium of national, professional organizations focused on breast health and dedicated to the improvement of quality outcomes of patients with diseases of the breast through evidence-based standards and patient and professional education.
The NAPBC encourages, hospitals, treatment centers, individual physician practices, and other facilities committed to breast health care to improve the quality of care available at their center(s) through various breast-related programs. These programs are concerned with prevention, early detection, diagnosis, pre-treatment evaluation, staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, surveillance for recurrent disease, support services, and end-of-life care. The availability of a full range of medical services, along with a multidisciplinary team approach to patient care, ensures the provision of continuity of care for women with diseases of the breast.
Accreditation by the NAPBC is granted only to those centers that are voluntarily committed to providing the best possible care to patients with diseases of the breast. Each breast center must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with NAPBC standards. To maintain accreditation, centers must monitor compliance with NAPBC standards to ensure quality care, and undergo an on-site review every three years.
“Breast cancer survivors and their primary care providers need precise direction and individualized support. Carevive Health is committed to helping cancer practices to meet these needs.”
Carevive Health Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Carrie Stricker, highlights the importance of this mandate in moving cancer care forward. “My prior collaborative research at the University of Pennsylvania showed that less than 10% of all breast cancer patients receive survivorship care plans, despite nearly 100% reporting unmet needs following the completion of active treatment. Time was the biggest barrier. I co-founded Carevive Health, Inc. to help provide the cancer care community with software that enables the efficient delivery of highly personalized survivorship care plans to all cancer survivors, including those with breast cancer. Carevive software helps support fulfillment of NAPBC accreditation standards,” she said. “Breast cancer survivors and their primary care providers need precise direction and individualized support. Carevive Health is committed to helping cancer practices to meet these needs.”
The Standard 2.20 phase-in plan and other changes/clarifications of the 2014 NAPBC Standards Manual are posted here: https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/napbc/standards/changes National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC)
The manual for Standard 2.20 – Breast Cancer Survivorship in the 2014 NAPBC Standards Manual available for download on the NAPBC website.
The American College of Surgeons evaluates breast centers through its National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. To be approved, centers must meet strict standards for providing services, managing patients, participating in clinical trials, continuing physician education, and community outreach. Accredited centers voluntarily agree to maintain a high level of clinical care and are re-certified every 3 years.
