ST. LOUIS – SSM Cancer Care at St. Joseph Health Center and St. Joseph Hospital West has once again earned a three-year accreditation with six commendations for its cancer programs in five areas: cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, community outreach and quality improvement. The award is granted by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons and honors programs that are committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care to their communities. SSM Cancer Care is the only cancer program in St. Charles County to receive this accreditation, which it has held since 1991.
A CoC-accredited cancer program designation ensures that a patient will have quality care close to home with access to:
• comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment;
• a multi-specialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options;
• information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options;
• cancer-related information, education and support;
• a cancer registry that collects data on types and stages of cancers and treatment results, offering lifelong patient follow-up;
• ongoing monitoring and improvement of patient 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 standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. The Accreditation Program, a component of the CoC, sets, reviews and ensures conformity to quality-of-care standards for cancer programs across the nation. Accreditation by the CoC is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and undergo a rigorous evaluation process. To maintain their accreditation, programs must submit to an on-site review every three years.
About SSM Cancer Care
A service of SSM Health Care – St. Louis, SSM Cancer Care is a dedicated “cancer hospital” ― not restricted to a single site, but to six SSM hospital locations across St. Louis and St. Charles counties. Each location offers patient-focused diagnosis, consultation and treatment, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, support services (nutrition counseling, social services and physical therapy), early detection screenings and support groups. SSM Cancer Care is accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons as offering a comprehensive program designed to treat the entire person ―physically, emotionally and spiritually ― as well as the needs of patients’ families. For more information, go to www.ssmhealth.com/cancer.
For media inquires, contact:
Kristen Johnson
Media Relations Specialist
SSM Health Care – St. Louis
314-989-2208 (office)
314-908-0225 (pager)
kristen_johnson@ssmhc.com