The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (ECCC) at Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH) has again been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Radiation oncology (radiation therapy) is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer. A radiation oncologist may use radiation to cure cancer or to relieve a cancer patient’s pain.
“This distinction shows that we are focused on providing the most advanced care for our patients with cancer,” said Chad Schaeffer, executive director of the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center at CHH. “We continually monitor processes and standards to meet or exceed best practices in quality and safety.”
The ACR is the nation’s oldest and most widely accepted radiation oncology accrediting body, with over 600 accredited sites, and 27 years of accreditation experience. The ACR seal of accreditation is considered the gold standard for patient care. It is awarded only to facilities meeting specific Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards developed by ACR after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists who are experts in the field.
“We are assessed on patient care and treatment, patient safety, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs,” Schaeffer explained. “Once the assessment is complete, the findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation that provides us with a comprehensive report we can use for continuous practice improvement.”
“Receiving the ACR accreditation demonstrates to patients, referring physicians and other regulatory agencies that the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center is committed to quality care that meets or exceeds the care found in a typical radiation oncology practice,” said Andrew Freeman, MD, Medical Director of the Radiation Oncology Department at the ECCC.
For more information about radiation oncology services at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center, please call 304.399.6500 or visit www.edwardsccc.org.
