FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital: Winner of Third Consecutive Outstanding Achievement Award
| Date Posted: 6/1/2012 | Author: Mandy McCue
The accredited cancer treatment program has received its third consecutive Outstanding Achievement Award from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of theAmericanCollege of Surgeons (ACoS).
Only 106 currently and newly accredited cancer programs across the United Sates received an Outstanding Achievement Award as a result of surveys performed during 2011. Only 13 facilities- and just one inNorth Carolina-have been recognized for three consecutive surveys.
“Gaining the Outstanding Achievement recognition from theAmericanCollegeof Surgeons oncology group is high praise for our cancer program,” says Amelia Jeyapalan, M.D., a general surgeon with Pinehurst Surgical and the general surgery representative on FirstHealth’s Cancer Committee. “This shows that we as physicians, nurses and hospital system are truly committed to providing state-of-the-art care for our cancer patients – starting with their diagnosis and onward into their survivorship.”
The level of compliance is determined during an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor. Moore Regional’s cancer treatment program received its first CoC accreditation in 1995 and was reaccredited in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008. The program received its first OAA in 2006, the first year it was qualified for the recognition.
What is ACoS Accreditation?
The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care. It was established by ACoS in 1922.
The CoC Accreditation Program encourages hospitals, treatment centers and other facilities to improve their quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs. Established in 2004, the CoC Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA) recognizes cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality patient care. The award goes to facilities that demonstrate a commendation level of compliance with seven standards that represent the following areas of cancer program activity: cancer committee leadership, Cancer data management, clinical management, research, community outreach, and quality improvement.
Five elements are to the success of a CoC-accredited cancer program:
- 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.
- The cancer committee leads the program through setting goals, monitoring activity, evaluating patient outcomes, and improving care.
- The cancer conferences provide a forum for patient consultation and contribute to physician education.
- The quality improvement program is the mechanism for evaluating and improving patient outcomes.
- The cancer registry and database is the basis for monitoring the quality of care.
Benefits to being a CoC-Accredited Program:
- National Recognition: CoC accreditation is nationally recognized by organizations such as the JCAHO, American Cancer Society,Aetna, CMS, NQF and the National Cancer Institute as having established performance measures for the provision of high-quality cancer care.
- Organized Care: The CoC offers cancer programs an organizational model for the delivery of comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care.
- Quality Improvement Measures: Participation in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) and access to Comparison Benchmark Reports and other resource tools enable Commission-accredited programs to compare their quality of care and improve performance based on nationally recognized quality measures and standards of care.
- Data Analysis: Participation in CoC special studies that are developed to address important issues in cancer care.
- Public Awareness: Free promotion and national exposure are available to accredited programs through CoC marketing efforts, the CoC Hospital Locator, select payers, and organizations promulgating patient information about where to receive quality cancer care.
Benefits of a CoC-Accredited Program for the patients and the community:
- Comprehensive care including a complete range of state-of-the-art services and equipment.
- A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best available treatment options.
- Information about ongoing cancer clinical trials and new treatment options.
- Access to prevention and early detection programs, cancer education, and support services.
- A cancer registry that offers lifelong patient follow-up.
- Ongoing monitoring and improvements in cancer care AND.
- Quality care, close to home.
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital FirstHealth Cancer Services has expertise providing cancer treatment to the Pinehurst, Sanford, Raeford, Laurinburg, Lumberton, Troy and Rockingham regions of North Carolina. For more information on treatment options call (910) 715-3500.
