July 11, 2016 –Regional Medical Center (RMC) announced today that The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted RMC in Anniston a Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation for its’ cancer program.
To earn this voluntary accreditation, a cancer program must meet or exceed 34 CoC quality care standards, undergo an evaluation and survey process every three years and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care. This high distinction of a Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation is only awarded to a healthcare facility that exceeds standard requirements at the time of its triennial survey. This marks the third cycle in a row that RMC has earned the distinction of a Three Year Accreditation with Commendation on all measured quality standards.
Because it is a recognized CoC-accredited Cancer Center, RMC has proven a demonstrated 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 delivery of care, treatment and after care or cancer patients.
The CoC Accreditation Program provides the framework for RMC 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.
“Being recognized with such a high honor and distinction for the extraordinary cancer care delivered by our physicians, cancer specialists and clinical staff underscores just how exemplary the cancer treatment and care is for cancer patients who received this often challenging diagnosis,” said Louis Bass, RMC CEO. “It is with great pride that our local community can take comfort and recognize that RMC’s Cancer Care program is among the highest ranked and accredited programs in Alabama and the country.”
Patients receiving care at an accredited CoC facility have access to critical information related to clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling and patient-centered services including psycho-social support, a patient navigation process and survivorship care plan that documents the care each patient receives and seeks to improve a cancer survivors’ quality of life.
RMC Earns National Accreditation with Commendation for Cancer Program/add one
Like all CoC-accredited facilities, The Cancer Care Program at RMC maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the CoC and The American Cancer Society (ACS). 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. Accredited CoC 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 improve their quality care initiatives.
ACS estimates that more than 1.6 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2013. There are currently more than 1,500 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, representing total of only 30 percent of all hospitals nationwide. CoC-accredited facilities diagnose and/or treat more than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients.
“When cancer patients choose to seek care locally at a CoC-accredited cancer center, they have the good fortune of knowing they are gaining access to comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer treatment and care that is in their own community and close to home,” Bass said.
About the CoC
Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, visit: www.facs.org/cancer. The CoC provides the public with information on the resources, services, and cancer treatment experience for each CoC-accredited cancer program through the CoC Hospital Locator at http://www.facs.org/cancerprogram/index.html.
About Regional Medical Center
With 338 inpatient beds at Regional Medical Center (RMC) Anniston, 89 beds at RMC Jacksonville, and numerous outpatient facilities and services, RMC is the provider of choice for over 13,500 inpatients, 81,000 outpatients, 1,750 newborn deliveries and 55,000 emergency room visits each year. Services include cardiovascular, oncology, orthopedic and women’s/ children’s, as well as most major specialties for the right care close to home. More than 1,600 employees, 300 volunteers and 200 physicians in a full range of specialties provide state-of-the-art healthcare with integrity, skill and compassion. RMC is accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, is an affiliate in the UAB Cancer Care Network, is recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama as a Blue Distinction Centers+ for Knee and Hip Replacement® and Maternity Care, and is the first Baby-Friendly birthing facility in Alabama. For more information, visit www.RMCcares.org.