The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation to the cancer program at South County Hospital in Wakefield, Rhode Island. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.
“We’re honored to receive this recognition from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer,” said Aaron Robinson, President and CEO of South County Health. “Earning this prestigious accreditation is a testament to the extraordinary cancer care delivered at South County Health. The expertise and dedication of our amazing team of providers and clinical staff combined with our progressive technology and therapeutics, regularly produce the extraordinary quality of care signified by this designation. We continue to be committed to offering the highest caliber of cancer care to the communities South County Health is honored to serve as Rhode Island’s Most Trusted Health Partner.”
Because it is a CoC-accredited cancer center, South County Health takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary partnership results in improved patient care.
“The awarding of this accreditation by the Commission on Cancer affirms that we are offering the highest quality of cancer care to our patients, their families, and our community,” said Angela Taber, MD, Director of the Cancer Center at South County Health.
The CoC Accreditation Program provides the framework for South County Health to improve its quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs that focus on the full spectrum of cancer care including prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, life-long follow-up for recurrent disease, and end-of-life care. When patients receive care at a CoC facility, they also have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, and patient centered services including psycho-social support, a patient navigation process, and a survivorship care plan that documents the care each patient receives and seeks to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
Like all CoC-accredited facilities, South County Hospital Cancer Center maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. This nationwide oncology outcomes database is the largest clinical disease registry in the world. Data on all types of cancer are tracked and analyzed through the NCDB and used to explore trends in cancer care. CoC-accredited cancer centers, in turn, have access to information derived from this type of data analysis, which is used to create national, regional, and state benchmark reports. These reports help CoC facilities with their quality improvement efforts.
At South County Health, we understand the challenges posed by a diagnosis of cancer. Your treatment will be the focus of a multidisciplinary team of expert physicians and highly trained staff practicing the latest medical advances in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. Our cancer services are all located on the same campus, a convenience that will make a big difference to you during your treatment. And at your side every step of the way is your oncology nurse navigator, a registered nurse practitioner coordinating your care.
For more information, visit www.SouthCountyHealth.org/cancer
