McHENRY – The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) recently completed its three-year survey of the Centegra Hospital- McHenry and Centegra Hospital – Woodstock campuses and found both campuses to be compliant on all standards, with approval on all standards that meet commendation level.
The CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard setting, prevention, research, education and monitoring of comprehensive quality care. Thank you to all of you who made this possible.
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) Accreditation Program encourages hospitals, treatment centers and other facilities to improve their quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs. These programs focus on prevention, early diagnosis, pretreatment evaluation, staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, surveillance for recurrent disease, support services and end-of-life care.
“The CoC accreditation reflects the well-rounded Cancer Services we provide at Centegra Sage Cancer Center,” said Dr. Syed Zahir, cancer committee chair. “It honors our dedication to bringing the best cancer treatments to the people of greater McHenry County.”
The availability of a full range of medical services along with a multidisciplinary team approach to patient care at accredited cancer programs has resulted in approximately 80 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients being treated in CoC-accredited cancer programs.
Recognizing that cancer is a complex group of diseases, the CoC Cancer Program Standards promote consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary cooperation results in improved patient care.
“Our Cancer Services team is the reason we provide exemplary care,” said Dr. Geoffrey Smoron, medical director of the Centegra Sage Cancer Center. “Our leaders and Associates have developed a program that has strong administrative, medical and ancillary staff support.”
Five elements are key to the success of a CoC-accredited cancer program:
1. The clinical services provide state-of-the-art pretreatment evaluation, staging, treatment and clinical follow-up for cancer patients seen at the facility for primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary care.
2. The cancer committee leads the program through setting goals, monitoring activity, evaluating patient outcomes, and improving care.
3. The cancer conferences provide a forum for patient consultation and contribute to physician education.
4. The quality improvement program is the mechanism for evaluating and improving patient outcomes.
5. The cancer registry and database is the basis for monitoring the quality of care.
Mary Dunlop, the cancer registrar at Centegra Sage Cancer Center, said the CoC accreditation is the result of months of preparation.
“Each facility that applies for accreditation is thoroughly evaluated,” Dunlop said. “They examined our diagnostic capabilities, treatment plans and procedures, clinical practices, rehabilitation and the support we provide our patients and their families. They also assessed our prevention and early detection measures.”
Centegra Health System is recognized as having one of a few cancer programs in the state to receive the Commission on Cancer (CoC) Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Additionally, with state-of-the-art equipment and practices, the Centegra Sage Cancer Center is staffed with a team of highly-specialized oncology professionals. Patients needing additional follow-up may be referred to Centegra’s conveniently located medical imaging departments for various state-of-the-art diagnostic breast exams including ultrasounds, breast MRIs and PET/CTs.
Centegra Health System is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the residents of greater McHenry County and to making services available in multiple and convenient locations, including hospitals in McHenry and Woodstock, Immediate and Primary Care Centers, Centegra Sage Cancer Center, Health Bridge Fitness Centers and more. As the region’s leading healthcare provider, Centegra Health System continues to bring the latest treatments and technology, along with the skills of nearly 4,000 medical professionals, to meet the needs of the growing McHenry County community. For more information search Centegra Health System on Facebook or call 877-CENTEGRA (877-236-8347).