ALTON – The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has included OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center among its 2014 Outstanding Achievement Award winners.
The award recognizes OSF Saint Anthony’s Cancer Center of Excellence as one of the top 75 accredited cancer programs in the United States. Award criteria were based on qualitative and quantitative surveys conducted last year.
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“It is an honor to be awarded this prestigious accreditation from the Commission on Cancer,” said Ajay Pathak, President and CEO of OSF Saint Anthony’s. “The award recognizes our Mission Partners’ hard work and dedication in serving the community with the greatest care and love.”
The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition, the award is intended to:
- Recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.
- Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care.
- Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices.
- Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs.
“More and more, we’re finding that patients and their families want to know how the health care institutions in their communities compare with one another,” said Daniel P. McKellar, MD, FACS, Chair of the CoC. “They want access to information in terms of who’s providing the best quality of care, and they want to know about overall patient outcomes. Through this recognition program, I’d like to think we’re playing a small, but vital role, in helping them make informed decisions on their cancer care.”
The 75 award-winning, cancer-care programs represent approximately 15 percent of programs surveyed by the CoC in 2014. “These 75 cancer programs currently represent the best of the best – so to speak – when it comes to cancer care,” added Dr. McKellar. “Each of these facilities is not just meeting nationally recognized standards for the delivery of quality cancer care, they are exceeding them.”
Established in 2004, the CoC’s Outstanding Achievement Award is designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. Programs are evaluated on 34 cancer program standards categorized within one of four cancer program activity areas: cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, and quality improvement. Programs are further evaluated on seven commendation standards. Award recipients must have received commendation ratings in all seven commendation standards, in addition to receiving a compliance rating for each of the 34 cancer program standards.
“I am so proud of all of our Mission Partners,” said James Piephoff, M.D., Radiation Oncologist and chair of OSF Saint Anthony’s Cancer Committee. “This is our second time to receive full commendations and be recognized in the top 75. Everyone has been working hard to improve the outcomes for our patients, and an honor to be recognized for those efforts.”
Together with top physicians, OSF Saint Anthony's Health Center’s highly-skilled professional team includes certified oncology nurses, certified radiation oncology technologist, physicist, physical therapists, dietitians, social workers, psychologists and pastoral care workers. Helping to assure the patient and family members, and guiding them in their understanding of cancer care is a priority.
Comprehensive services and treatments available through OSF Saint Anthony’s Cancer Center of Excellence include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation oncology and diagnostic testing. For more information, please call 618-463-5623.
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