Drexel Hill, Pa. – The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted Three-Year Approval with Commendation to the Delaware County Regional Cancer Center at Delaware County Memorial Hospital.
The Cancer Center received a Three-Year Approval with Commendation following the on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor, during which the program demonstrated a Commendation level of compliance with many standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program (cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement). As Marie DeStefano, administrative director of Oncology for Crozer-Keystone Health System says: “It is an honor to be recognized by the CoC. This designation demonstrates Crozer-Keystone Health System’s sustained commitment not only to our patients, but to the larger community that we serve.”
Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through setting standards for quality, multidisciplinary patient care, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of
comprehensive, quality care. This goal is achieved through surveyance of facilities to evaluate compliance with the 36 CoC standards; collecting standardized and quality data from all approved facilities; and using the data to develop effective educational interventions to improve cancer care outcomes at a national, state and local level.
Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 40 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that more than 1.3 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2005. There are currently more than 1,400 CoC-approved cancer programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25 percent of all hospitals. These 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 provides leadership and support for the CoC Approvals Program and other CoC activities at these local facilities.
Approval by the CoC is given only to those facilities that have committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care. To maintain approval, facilities with CoC-approved cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.
Receiving care at a CoC-approved program ensures that a patient will have access to:
- State-of-the-art services and equipment;
- Multidisciplinary, team approach to coordinate the best treatment options;
- Information regarding and access to clinical trials and new treatment options;
- Access to cancer-related information, education and support;
- Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care; and
- A cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up.
Cancer patient data are reported by each CoC-approved cancer program to the CoC’s National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint CoC/American Cancer Society program. The NCDM currently contains patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment outcomes information for more than 16 million cancer
patients diagnosed and treated at hospital cancer programs in the U.S. between 1985 and 2003. These data account for approximately two-thirds of newly diagnosed cancer cases in the U.S. each year.
NCDB data is regularly used to monitor and improve the quality of patient care delivered in CoC-approved cancer programs. The CoC requires programs to implement initiatives that promote the delivery of quality, multidisciplinary cancer care and lead to ongoing educational interventions with local providers in the CoC-approved programs.
The CoC accreditation awarded to the Delaware County Regional Cancer Center, in addition to a continued partnership with Fox Chase Cancer Center, will allow DCMH to continue to offer state-of-the-art diagnosis, treatment and compassionate, supportive care in a convenient setting.
“All of our physicians and staff are, once again, to be commended,” says John D. Sprandio, M.D., chief of the Section of Hematology/Oncology at Delaware County Memorial Hospital and medical director of the Delaware County Regional Cancer Center. “This approval with commendation from the Commission reflects our efforts to provide a level of cancer care that is unsurpassed in the tri-county area. We will continue our efforts to build a coordinated cancer program across Crozer-Keystone Health System.”
For more information on Crozer-Keystone Cancer Services, call 1-800-CK-HEALTH (1-800-254-3258).