Our Lady of Lourdes Receives National Cancer Accreditation

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons has granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation, which is the highest level of accreditation for a cancer program, to Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center.  Accreditation is awarded to facilities and programs with a multidisciplinary approach that promotes cooperation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other cancer specialists. 

Lourdes oncology program received three year accreditation with commendation following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor who reviewed the full scope of the hospital’s performance and compliance with CoC standards in an effort to provide the highest level of cancer care – including cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement.  To maintain accreditation, their cancer program must undergo an on-site review every three years.

“I commend our medical team and all of the units for voluntarily going through this rigorous process to make sure we consistently deliver the highest levels of quality care for our cancer patients and the community we serve,” says Chief Nursing Officer Michelle Crain.  “Maintaining national standards in cancer care should give patients the peace of mind that they can receive cancer care close to home.”

Receiving care at a COC-accredited cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:

  • Comprehensive care including a range of state-of-the-art 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 prevention and early detection programs, cancer education, and support services.
  • A cancer registry that offers lifelong patient follow-up.
  • Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care.
  • Quality care close to home.

Cancer patient data is reported by each CoC-accredited cancer program to the CoC's National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint CoC/American Cancer Society program.  The NCDB currently contains patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment and outcomes information for more than 18 million cancer patients diagnosed and treated at hospital cancer programs in the US between 1985 and 2004.  These data account for approximately two-thirds of newly diagnosed cancer cases in the US each year.

NCDB data is regularly used to monitor and improve the quality of patient care delivered in CoC-accredited cancer programs.  The CoC requires programs to implement quality improvement initiatives that promote the delivery of quality, multidisciplinary cancer care and lead to ongoing educational interventions with local providers in the CoC-accredited cancer programs.

Through an exclusive partnership with the American Cancer Society, the CoC provides the public with information on the resources, services, and cancer treatment experience for each CoC-accredited cancer program.  The information is shared with the public on the American Cancer Society's web site at www.cancer.org and through the American Cancer Society's National Cancer Information Center at 800-ACS-2345.