Sutter Health Breast Cancer Project

The Sutter Health Breast Cancer Project is a major quality improvement program and includes hospitals and their medical staffs, cancer centers, breast centers and medical groups in an effort to improve early detection of breast cancer.

And it's working! According to early data from the project, Sutter already has seen a three percent jump in the number of breast tumors diagnosed in their earliest and most curable stages (Stages 0 and 1).

Battling Breast Cancer

Sutter's Breast Cancer Project started in 1997

The Sutter Health Breast Cancer Project represents a huge potential to benefit women in Northern California through our network of 5,000 physicians and more than two dozen hospitals. Our goals are based on achieving the best possible outcomes, and we have set the bar high. Armed with data from cancer registries throughout the system, our project leaders looked at the most effective treatments and established goals for each facility.

To give women access to the latest technology for biopsies, Sutter also purchased stereotactic needle biopsy tables and equipment for affiliates serving the Bay Area, Greater Sacramento Region, and Central Valley.

In just one year we saw improvement in nearly every category of measurement and even exceeded our goal in one area. Sutter also exceeds the national average for early detection of breast cancer:

By integrating physicians in the community with Sutter's efforts, the system has also been able to ensure more consistent treatment of breast cancer based on scientific data.

Read more about the breast cancer initiative

Back to main Breast Cancer page