W
hen you or a loved one faces
the need for cancer care,
a thousand questions may
come to mind, including
“Where do I find great care?”
When cancer patients choose to
seek care at a cancer center accredited
by the American College of Surgeons
Commission on Cancer (CoC), they are
gaining access to comprehensive, state-
of-the-art cancer care close to home.
A CoC-accredited cancer center takes a
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 patient care.
When patients receive care at a CoC-
accredited facility, they also have access
to information on clinical trials and
new treatments; genetic counseling;
and patient-centered services, including
psychosocial support, a patient navigation
process, and a survivorship care plan that
documents the care each patient receives
and seeks to improve cancer survivors’
quality of life.
All CoC-accredited facilities must main-
tain a cancer registry and contribute data
to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB),
a joint program of the CoC and American
Cancer Society (ACS). Data on all types of
cancer are tracked and analyzed through
the NCDB and used to explore trends in
cancer care. CoC-accredited cancer cen-
ters, in turn, have access to information
derived from this type of data analysis,
which is used to help centers improve the
quality of care they provide.
Another national accreditation
with commendation
The CoC has granted another three-year
accreditation with commendation to the
cancer program at Faith Regional Health
Services.
“Due to the extraordinary hard work
and team spirit of our staff, we were able
to achieve this important accreditation
A change
for the better
8 FAITH REGIONAL
HEALTH SERVICES
WHAT TO KNOW WHEN CHOOSING CANCER CARE
