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Home News American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer Grants Commendation to UT Medical Center Cancer Program

American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer Grants Commendation to UT Medical Center Cancer Program

Published: Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) recently granted a three-year Accreditation with Commendation to the cancer program at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) recently granted a three-year Accreditation with Commendation to the cancer program at The University of Tennessee Medical Center. The medical center received the honor following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor with the ACoS. During the survey, according to the surveyor, the facility demonstrated a Commendation level of compliance with those standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program, including leadership, data management, cancer clinical services, cancer research, community outreach and quality improvement.

“Being the only facility in the region to be continually accredited for more than three decades is evidence of the commitment of every physician, nurse and caregiver at the UT Medical Center Cancer Institute to excellence in patient care, quality, research and education,” said Dr. John Bell, director of the Cancer Institute at UT Medical Center. “This accreditation is earned by daily providing excellent services. It is a result of hard work and dedication to excellence on behalf of the patients we serve.”

The Cancer Institute at UT Medical Center has been continually accredited by the CoC since 1980. CoC approval is granted only to those organizations that voluntarily commit to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. Sites must undergo on-site review every three years.

The University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute established the region’s first tumor registry in 1978. The tumor registry was a critical component of becoming a CoC-approved program. Receiving care at a CoC-approved cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:

• Comprehensive care, including 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 cancer type, stage and treatment offering lifelong patient follow-up
• Ongoing monitoring of care and quality improvement
• Quality cancer care

Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through standards setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. The COC’s membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 42 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.

Each year, The University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute diagnoses and treats more than 2,100 new cancer patients and records more than 50,000 patient visits. The multispecialty cancer team at UT Medical Center is committed to providing each patient individualized, compassionate, state-of-the-art care all in one convenient location.

To learn more about UT Medical Center, visit online.