Easton Cancer Program Receives Accreditation by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons

Easton, Pa (December 15, 2011): The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to the Easton Regional Cancer Center at Easton Hospital. This is a re-accreditation for the Cancer Care program.

 A facility receives a Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation following the on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the facility demonstrates a Commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program – cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach, and quality improvement. In addition, a facility receives a compliance rating for all other standards.

“We are proud of our accreditation that our Easton Regional Cancer Center has received continually from the Commission on Cancer,” stated Brian Finestein, Chief Executive Officer of Easton Hospital. “It is an acknowledgement of the personalized, quality care our patients receive and a tribute to the dedicated, multidisciplinary team of physicians, clinicians, nurse navigator and nurses responsible for this program every day.”

The Easton Regional Cancer Center has a long-standing history of providing quality cancer care to the residents of Easton and its surrounding communities. Easton Hospital’s Cancer Care program established a Cancer/Tumor Registry department in 1946 – notably one of the first programs in the United States and the first in the Lehigh Valley. A cancer/tumor registry is an information system which collects, manages and analyzes information on persons with the diagnosis of cancer which provides for comprehensive cancer care. The registry data assures that the care offered by the Hospital not only meets the needs of the community, but also meets or exceeds the national standards set by the various accrediting agencies for quality care.

 In addition, the Center is supported by a partnership with the nationally renowned Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Through this partnership, Easton Regional Cancer Center patients have access to the latest advances in cancer care, treatment, technology and research.

Easton Regional Cancer Center Accreditation The Accreditation Program a component of CoC, sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. Accreditation by the CoC 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. To maintain accreditation, facilities with CoC-accredited cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.

Receiving care at a CoC-accredited program ensures that a patent will have access to: 

• comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
• a multispecialty, tam 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 life-long patient follow-up
• ongoing monitoring and improvement of care and, most importantly,
• quality care close to home.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.5 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2011. There are currently more than 1,400 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25% of all hospitals. This 25% of hospitals diagnose and/or treat 71% of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. In addition, a national network of more than 1,600 volunteer Cancer Liaison Physicians provides leadership and support of the CoC Accreditation Program and other CoC activities at these facilities.