Bayhealth’s cancer programs recently received a three-year reaccreditation from the American College of Surgeons (ACoS), Commission on Cancer (CoC), which is recognized as the leading accrediting body for cancer programs in the United States.
To earn CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated through a survey process and maintain levels of excellence in delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care. The cancer programs at both Bayhealth Cancer Center, Kent Campus and Bayhealth Cancer Center, Milford Memorial (now Bayhealth Cancer Center, Sussex Campus underwent their survey in 2018. The survey reviewed three years of clinical and program performance at both Bayhealth Cancer Centers.
“Achieving reaccreditation requires a total team effort for success,” said Iftekhar A. Khan, MD, chief of Bayhealth’s oncology services. “We are grateful for the entire multidisciplinary team and their commitment of excellence in the field of cancer care.”
Bayhealth’s reaccreditation reflects an outstanding level of cancer care provided to the local community through comprehensive services. It also demonstrates how Bayhealth takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer that includes consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary approach results in improved patient care.
“Our reaccreditation is a significant achievement,” said John D. Shevock, FACHE, FACMPE, senior director of operations, oncology service line and executive director, Bayhealth Cancer Institute. “It shows Bayhealth’s commitment to a higher level of cancer care for our communities in central and southern Delaware.”
When patients receive care at a CoC-accredited facility, they have access to various cancer-related programs, clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, and patient-centered services including psycho-social support, nurse navigation and a formalized survivorship program. Like all CoC-accredited facilities, Bayhealth also 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. Data on all types of cancer are tracked and analyzed through the NCDB and used to explore trends in cancer care.
Established in 1922 by the ACoS, 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 ACoS. Visit Facs.org for more information. Go to Bayhealth.org/Cancer to learn more about Bayhealth’s cancer programs.
