PHILADELPHIA (November 14, 2024) — Richard J. Bleicher, MD, FACS, Chief of the Division of Breast Surgery and Clinical Director of the Breast Service Line at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has been appointed Vice Chair of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and Chair of its Executive Committee.
The NAPBC, a model quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and its first site-specific cancer quality program, provides the premier accreditation to breast centers across the United States. Administered by the ACS, the NAPBC requires that programs meet the highest standards for treatment and care of patients with breast diseases.
“It is truly an honor to be selected as Vice Chair of the NAPBC and Chair of its Executive Committee,” said Bleicher. “Having participated in the organization since 2006, I am well aware that the NAPBC provides premier and primary standards for breast centers across the country and is the ultimate demonstration of quality breast care.”
Through its diverse expertise and collaborative approach, the NAPBC requires that accredited breast centers adhere to the highest standards of care, benefiting patients with breast diseases. The board of the NAPBC is comprised of representatives from dozens of organizations that represent multiple medical specialties, allied health fields, and non-medical disciplines that together represent the entire spectrum of care for both malignant and benign breast disease.
Fox Chase was accredited by the NAPBC in 2009, not long after the program was launched, and has had continuous accreditation since. Bleicher has been appointed to multiple NAPBC positions over the years and is vocal about its important national and international contributions to elevating breast care. He most recently completed a term as the Chair of its Quality Improvement Committee.
Bleicher specializes in breast cancer, with a focus on novel treatment modalities, clinical trials, and cosmetic outcomes, but he is most recognized and cited for his research regarding the impact of timeliness and delays on breast cancer treatment. His work is the basis for two current Commission on Cancer national quality measures.
In addition, Bleicher is a member of several professional organizations, including the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the ACS, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Bleicher earned his medical degree from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. He completed his residency at Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, as well as a fellowship in surgical oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California. He also completed a fellowship in basic science research at Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh.
In addition to receiving such honors as the Jamie Brooke Lieberman Remembrance Award and the Light of Life Pink Tie Ball Award from Susan G. Komen Philadelphia, he has also been recognized as one of America’s Top Doctors, as well as a Top Doctor by Philadelphia magazine from 2018 through 2024.