Aloha … from BetheGifford cancer program earns
three-year re-accreditation
RANDOLPH, June 9, 2009 – The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons has granted three-year accreditation with commendation to the cancer program at Gifford Medical Center.
A facility receives a three-year accreditation with commendation following the onsite evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the facility demonstrates a commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program (cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement). In addition, a facility receives a compliance rating for all other standards.
Through its oncology department, Gifford in Randolph offers area patients access to an experienced oncologist, Dr. John Valentine, care from specially certified oncology nurses and treatment planning and options, including outpatient chemotherapy and hormone therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer.
End-of-life cancer patients and their families additionally benefit from Gifford’s palliative care program and the hospital’s Garden Room suite.
The hospital also has a Cancer Committee, data management and quality oversight, and promotes cancer prevention, screenings and treatment to the public through outreach efforts.
Social Worker Sandy Conrad calls Gifford’s Cancer Committee an amazing resource to Gifford providers and patients alike.
“The committee is an interdisciplinary group that, via telecom with experts from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, talks about the needs of the patient, best treatment practices and psychosocial issues that happen when a person is diagnosed with cancer,” Conrad said.
The committee also establishes protocols and follows up on cases.
The work is in line with Commission on Cancer goals.
Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 42 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.
Gifford’s program has been accredited by the Commission on Cancer since 1965.
“The accreditation process helps ensure oncology patients are receiving high-quality care as the hospital works to meet rigorous quality standards set by the Commission on Cancer. We are constantly striving to improve the care we give to our oncology patients,” said Pam Hinkle, Gifford cancer registrar.
Dr. Maury Smith Jr. is a general surgeon at Gifford and co-chairman of the hospital’s Cancer Committee.
Smith says the accreditation process “ensures the care cancer patients receive at Gifford meets or exceeds quality standards set by the Commission on Cancer, and it also provides a framework for ongoing quality improvements.”
The core functions of the Commission on Cancer include setting standards for quality, multidisciplinary cancer patient care; surveying facilities to evaluate compliance with the 36 Commission on Cancer standards; collecting standardized and quality data from accredited facilities; and using the data to develop effective educational interventions to improve cancer care outcomes at the national, state and local level.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.4 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2009. There are currently more than 1,400 Commission on Cancer-accredited cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25 percent of all hospitals. This 25 percent of hospitals diagnose and/or treat 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. In addition, a national network of more than 1,600 volunteer cancer liaison physicians, including some at Gifford, provides leadership and support for the Commission on Cancer Accreditation Program and other activities at local facilities.
The Accreditation Program sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. Accreditation is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. To maintain accreditation, facilities with Commission on Cancer accredited cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.
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For more information about the Commission on Cancer, visit www.facs.org/cancer/index.html.