 The American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer (CoC) has granted a three-year Approval with Commendation to the Cancer Program at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. UT Medical Center received the Approval with Commendation following an on-site evaluation by a CoC physician surveyor during which the facility demonstrated a Commendation level of compliance with those standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program (leadership, data management, cancer clinical services, cancer research, community outreach and quality improvement).
Currently in the United States, only 25% of hospitals in the nation are CoC approved. Approval by the CoC is given only to those facilities 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. The cancer program at UT Medical Center has been continuously accredited by the CoC since 1980 in the Teaching Hospital Approval category.
Receiving care at the CoC-approved cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to
- Comprehensive care, including state-of-the-art services and equipment
- A multispeciality 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.
The University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute diagnoses and treats more than 1,600 new cancer patients each year and records almost 50,000 patient visits. The multispeciality cancer team at UT Medical Center is committed to providing each patient individualized, compassionate, state-of-the-art care all in one convenient location.
|
