“Commission approval signifies that our program ensures patients have access to comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the art services and equipment; a multispecialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options; information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options; access to cancer-related information, education and support; and most importantly, excellence in quality care,” said Dr. Samir Khleif, Director of the Cancer Center.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Georgia Health Sciences Cancer Center has been granted three-year accreditation with commendation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
The center met standards in all 35 quality-of-care measures in eight areas judged to be important by the commission; and it was awarded commendation in seven of those areas: cancer committee leadership, data management and cancer registry, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and staff support and quality improvement.
Accreditation follows an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor. Approval is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.
“Commission approval signifies that our program ensures patients have access to comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the art services and equipment; a multispecialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options; information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options; access to cancer-related information, education and support; and most importantly, excellence in quality care,” said Dr. Samir Khleif, Director of the Cancer Center.
The GHS Cancer Center has the only dedicated inpatient oncology unit in the Augusta area. With an interdisciplinary team of nurses, oncologists, surgeons and other cancer specialists, the center has the most innovative and technologically advanced cancer treatments to ensure oncology patients receive the best possible care. A two-story, $31 million dollar freestanding outpatient facility dedicated to giving patients access to the latest methods and technologies from the lab opened in 2010.
“Our accreditation ensures that our cancer program is offering the highest quality, patient-centered care right here in the CSRA,” says Dr. Jim Kruse, Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology and Chairman of the GHS Cancer Committee. “Our program is committed to continuous improvement in a multi-disciplinary fashion.”
The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates 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 and 49 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care. There are 1,500 commission accredited programs in the United States and Puerto Rico.
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