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| Contact: Christine Hill 612-873-5719 |
04/28/08 |
The Cancer Center at Hennepin County Medical Center was recently awarded a certificate of approval with commendation from the Commission on Cancer, approving the cancer program through the year 2010. The Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons, establishes standards for optimal care that must be achieved in order to receive its approval, including the organization of cancer services and scope of high quality of care provided. A rigorous evaluation and review process took place at Hennepin's Cancer Center in 2007, and the program was found to meet and/or exceed standards of excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.
"This distinction is appreciated, and we are proud of our excellent caregivers," said Hennepin County Medical Center Medical Director and oncologist Michael Belzer, MD. "The true heroes, as always, are our patients. They inspire us to do our best every day."
An approved cancer center like Hennepin provides patient with access to:
- Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
- A multispecialty, team approach to coordinate the best treatments 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
- Quality care close to home
Only 25% of hospitals in the U.S. and Puerto Rico have earned approval for their cancer programs. Hennepin's program has achieved this approval seven times, and it has been continuously approved since 1989.
A facility receives a Three-Year Approval with Commendation when it 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). The Approvals Program sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards.
Providing services that are easily accessible to patients is a priority at the Comprehensive Cancer Care Center. "We were the first in the state to provide our radiation, surgical and hematology oncology services all together in one location," explains Chief of surgical oncology Richard Zera, MD, "because it's important to us that our patients experience comfort and convenience when they choose us for their cancer care."
The Comprehensive Cancer Center cares for more than 500 new cancer patients each year, and continues to improve its cancer care with a clinic expansion project. "We're in the midst of expanding our clinic and chemotherapy areas to provide additional comfort to patients and their families," said Division Chief for Hematology and Oncology Douglas Rausch, MD. The new areas are scheduled to be completed later this year.
Hennepin County Medical Center is a Level 1 Trauma Center and public teaching hospital repeatedly recognized as one of America's best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about Hennepin County Medical Center's Comprehensive Cancer Center, call 612-873-6369.
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