Cancer Committee REPORT
Accreditation by a nationally recognized organization demonstrates a commitment to excellence in quality , service and patient care . Renown Institute for Cancer has been accredited by the nationally recognized Commission on Cancer ( CoC ) since 1999 . Our doctors and staff provide standards of care for cancer that are constantly improving to provide the best evidence-based cancer care to northern Nevada and western California .
Implementing the American College of Surgeons ’ CoC standards lies with our Cancer Committee . I have a long working relationship with the CoC and currently serve as a national surveyor for the organization . Compliance with the standards is a major undertaking and cancer programs are constantly challenged to improve the care they provide .
As part of a response to the Institute of Medicine report in 1999 , the CoC changed standards from “ Ensuring Quality Cancer Care ” to “ Patient Centered .” These changes included :
1 . Navigating patients through the medical system and identifying barriers .
2 . Identifying psychosocial problems that could prevent a patient from completing their cancer therapy .
3 . Providing patients with a “ survivorship care-plan ” so that they have a better understanding of the care they have received and what they should expect in their post treatment or “ survivorship years .”
Renown Cancer Committee reviews the compliance with the CoC standards throughout each year . If problems or barriers are identified , the committee comes up with novel ways to address them . Allied health professionals , supportive care staff and nurse navigators joined the cancer team not only to provide direct care , but also to assist with implementation , monitoring and improvement of these important standards .
This cancer committee meets six times each year to help provide guidance to the overall care of the cancer patient and to the cancer program . This is just another example of the commitment by the physicians , nurses , allied health and administrative personnel for the patients in our region .
With Warm Regards ,
James B . Harris , MD , FACS Cancer Committee Chair Medical Director of Commission on Cancer Accreditation and Quality
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