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During the month of September, we would like to highlight four cancer awareness groups that often go overlooked—blood, ovarian, prostate and childhood cancers. It is estimated that 1,762,450 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019. We recently took time to speak with the professionals at Central Florida Health, who have earned national recognition along with a distinguished cancer accreditation.
The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a national quality program, has granted three-year Accreditation with Commendation to the cancer programs at Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages® Regional Hospital.
The Accreditation & Commendation Details
This honor sets Central Florida Health’s hospitals apart, recognizing them as elite medical facilities that provide superior care to patients. To earn CoC accreditation, cancer programs must meet or exceed quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.
Three-year accreditation with commendation is only awarded to facilities that exceed the standard requirements. Central Florida Health’s physicians, staff, and protocols have undergone meticulous onsite inspections and have met nationally-recognized standards of care in the diagnosis, screening, prevention education, and treatment of cancer.
Ongoing Recognition
“Leesburg Regional Medical Center was first accredited by the CoC in 1999 and The Villages® Regional Hospital was first accredited in 2013,” commented Carol Hutchison, Lead Cancer Registrar at Central Florida Health. “We were then accredited as an Integrated Network Cancer Program in early 2016. The Integrated Network Cancer Program includes accreditation for both hospitals.”
Cancer Care Practitioners
As CoC-accredited cancer centers, Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages® Regional Hospital take a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that require consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. The inter-professional partnership results in improved patient care with better communication.
Cancer Care Ancillary Staff and Units
“The 2019 Performance Report by the CoC summarizing our accreditation results documented the commitment of the two hospitals’ Cancer Care Committee members, which includes representatives from nursing, nutrition, pastoral care, pharmacy, rehabilitation, social work, and other health care professionals from Central Florida Health,” remarked Sonya Zeller, Corporate Director of Quality. She further stated, “The CoC praised the Cancer Care Committee members for their teamwork, particularly noting the quality cancer care.”
Phyllis Baum, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Central Florida Health said, “Our cancer programs are always dedicated to providing patients with the very best care. Our team is continually learning, researching and discovering new and better ways to provide care. We are proud that the Commission on Cancer again recognizes our dedication by awarding this accreditation with commendation.”
The Commission on Cancer Accreditation Program provides the framework for Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages® Regional Hospital to improve the quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs that focus on the full spectrum of care including prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, life-long follow-up for recurrent disease, and end-of-life care.
Why Patients Should Seek Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment at CFH
When patients receive care at a CoC-accredited facility, they have access to information about the latest clinical trials and invaluable services such as social support and survivorship planning. Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages® Regional Hospital maintain a cancer registry and contribute data to the National Cancer Database, a joint program of the Commission on Cancer and the American Cancer Society.
About Central Florida Health (CFH): A locally owned and governed not-for-profit healthcare system and the largest, most comprehensive provider of healthcare services in the region, CFH provides services to Lake, Sumter and Marion counties through inpatient acute hospital services at The Villages® Regional Hospital and Leesburg Regional Medical Center, inpatient rehabilitation services at TVRH Rehabilitation Hospital and diagnostic laboratory services at several locations. As a premier healthcare provider, CFH takes pride in providing progressive, innovative technology, along with building strong relationships with patients, families, and physicians.
To learn more, visit www.CentralFloridaHealth.org.
Source: https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/
all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2019.html
