JAMESTOWN - The WCA Hospital Cancer Care Program has once again been awarded a three-year Accreditation with Commendation - the national gold seal of approval and high honors from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer sets the gold standard for cancer care across the nation. Only one in four hospitals across the nation receive the gold seal of approval and only a small percentage of the hospitals receive commendation.
"This award confirms that WCA offers the highest quality of cancer care, right here, close to home," Betsy T. Wright, WCA Hospital President/CEO said. "Our designation is our gold seal of approval and demonstrates our ongoing, continual commitment to providing access to highly-skilled physicians, medical specialists, and support staff who work collaboratively to coordinate excellent cancer care for those who have entrusted us with their care."
Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1922, the Approvals Program sets standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to make sure they conform to those standards. Recognizing that cancer is a complex group of diseases, the program promotes consultation among surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. That multidisciplinary cooperation results in improved patient care. Accreditation 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.
Article Photos
Submitted photo
Under the leadership of the WCA Hospital Cancer Care Committee (pictured), the WCA Hospital Cancer Care program was awarded national accreditation, recognized for delivering the highest standard of cancer care.
Receiving care at a CoC-Accredited cancer program ensures that patients will receive:
Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment;
A multispecialty, 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, and most importantly,
Quality care close to home.
"We have one of the finest community cancer care programs in the area with the latest in technological advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, specializing in state-of-the-art integrated care for a wide range of cancer illnesses," Wright added. "We extend our congratulations to our cancer care team for their hard work, compassion, and excellent standard of care that has made this distinguished designation possible."
WCA Hospital's Cancer Care Program, a conveniently located community-based service, is staffed by a collaborative team of board-certified expert physicians and health care professionals that provide a wide range of cancer care services from routine screenings to the diagnosis and treatment of patients diagnosed with cancer. The comprehensive cancer care team is dedicated to preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer for residents in the Chautauqua County and surrounding region. In partnership with physicians, hospital staff, and health care providers, the nationally recognized program provides a comprehensive range of high-quality, compassionate, and cost-effective services, including health education, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and psychosocial and patient navigation support.
The Commission on Cancer approval is nationally recognized by organizations such as The Joint Commission, American Cancer Society, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Quality Forum and the National Cancer Institute as having established performance measures for the provision of high-quality cancer care.
