POTTSTOWN MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER AWARDED 2008 COMMISSION ON CANCER OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), a Fox Chase Cancer Center Partner, has been awarded the 2008 Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award by the American College of Surgeons.  PMMC is one of only four hospitals in Pennsylvania and 95 programs in the country to receive this prestigious award.  These hospitals represent 19 percent of the 478 programs surveyed.

“To achieve a designation of this magnitude proves that Pottstown Memorial Regional Cancer Center is a top-notch cancer program worthy of this recognition.  The physicians, nurses and staff of PMRCC should be congratulated on this outstanding achievement that very few organizations realize,” says Steve MacLauchlan, CEO of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.

This award is designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.  A facility receives the award only after demonstrating a Commendation level of compliance with seven standards that represent six areas of cancer program activity during an on-site evaluation.  The six areas of activity are:  cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement.  They also must receive a compliance rating for the remaining 29 cancer program standards.

PMMC also earned a three year accreditation with commendation from the Commission on Cancer in 2005 and 2008.  To earn this distinction a facility must pass an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the facility demonstrates a Commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program.  The Approvals Program, a component of the CoC, sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. 

Approval by the CoC is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.  To maintain approval, facilities with CoC-approved cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.

Receiving care at a CoC-approved cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:  comprehensive care, including a range of 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 type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up; ongoing monitoring and improvement of care; and most importantly, quality care close to home.

Pottstown Memorial Regional Cancer Center physicians include:  Wei Song, MD, Ph.D.; Jeffrey Stevens, DO; Ronald Swaab, MD; Michael Lambo, MD; and Susan Tiwari, MD.

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.  Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 42 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.