News

Cancer Program at FRH Accredited by the Commission on Cancer

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons has granted three-year accreditation with commendation to the Cancer Program at Forbes Regional Hospital.

Forbes Regional received the three-year accreditation with commendation following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the hospital demonstrated a commendation level of compliance with several standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program (cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement).

“[Receiving accreditation] demonstrates our commitment to quality care, ongoing improvement and public accountability, and casts a positive reflection on our most important goal of increasing our ability to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cancer,” said Steven Anolik, MD, Medical Director of the Intercommunity Cancer Center at Forbes Regional Hospital.

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 standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care. The core functions of the CoC include setting standards for quality, multidisciplinary cancer patient care; surveying facilities to evaluate compliance with the 36 CoC standards; collecting standardized and quality data from accredited facilities; and using that data to develop effective educational interventions to improve cancer care outcomes at the national, state and local levels.

The CoC’s Accreditation Program sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. Accreditation by the CoC 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.

Receiving care at a CoC-accredited cancer program like that at Forbes Regional ensures that a patient will have access to:

• Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
• A multispecialty, team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
• Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
• Access to cancer-related information, education and support
• A cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up
• Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care
• Quality care, close to home

“By taking the necessary steps to obtain accreditation, Forbes Regional has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that patients served by the institution and its doctors are receiving quality cancer care and access to resources that prolong survival, relieve suffering and improve quality of life,” said James McCormick, DO, Forbes Regional Hospital Chief of Surgery.

The Cancer Program at Forbes Regional Hospital offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary patient-centered cancer care. Cancer services at Forbes Regional include advanced, subspecialty surgical care, dedicated medical oncology services, radiation oncology in the Intercommunity Cancer Center and an inpatient hospital unit staffed by trained oncology nurses. Patients have access to a wide range of clinical services, clinical cancer trials, advanced diagnostic tools and on-site support groups.