Commission on Cancer awards Three-Year Approval with Commendation

York County residents now have the comfort of knowing they can receive quality cancer care from a nationally recognized cancer program here at home. Piedmont Medical Center has received Three-Year Approval with Commendation from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.  Only one in four hospitals in the U.S. and Puerto Rico have earned the approval by conforming to the Commission’s quality-of-care standards.  

 Approval with commendation   

Piedmont received commendations in clinical services, community outreach, quality improvement, cancer committee leadership and cancer data management. The Commission awarded Piedmont Three-Year Approval with Commendation following a rigorous onsite evaluation of 36 standards.  

 “Recognition from the Commission on Cancer is a testament to the teamwork between the physicians on our medical staff and our staff members to ensure that the cancer patients we serve receive comprehensive, quality care,” said Charlie Miller, Piedmont president and CEO. “This is a proud day for us and just one more indication of Piedmont’s commitment to quality and our growing stature as a medical center.”  

What it means to patients    

According to the Commission, receiving care at a program that has received its approval ensures that a patient will have access to:

• Comprehensive care, including a range of advanced services and equipment 
• A multi-specialty 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 
• A cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up
• Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care
• Quality care close to home 

 Reporting data nationally

Piedmont now reports cancer patient data to the National Cancer Data Base, a program of the Commission and the American Cancer Society. Piedmont also is listed on the American Cancer Society’s Web site (www.cancer.org) as an approved cancer program.   

The membership of the Commission on Cancer includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 40 national organizations that reflect the spectrum of cancer care.

For more information about cancer risk factors,

please visit http://understandingrisk.cancer.gov/