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InterCommunity Cancer Center Continues Provides Patients Convenient Access to High Quality and Innovative Radiation Oncology Services
InterCommunity Cancer Center (ICCC) of Lady Lake is proud to announce that it was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
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 represents the highest level of quality and patient safety. 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. Patient care and treatment, patient safety, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.
“The ACR’s accreditation of our center represents our entire team’s commitment to excellence in delivering high quality radiation oncology services to our patients,” said Herman Flink, M.D., radiation oncologist at ICCC.
The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 36,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.
“We are extremely proud to have received this accreditation and will continue to hold ourselves to the highest standards because that is what our patients have come to expect and deserve,” added Dr. Flink.
HIGHLY TRAINED & HIGHLY MOTIVATED
Since 1985, ICCC has dedicated itself to providing local patients innovative radiation oncology treatments that rival even the finest academic-based cancer centers in Florida.
ICCC radiation oncologist Dr. Herman Flink was trained at Johns Hopkins University and is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology. He brings exceptional expertise in treating breast, lung, prostate, gynecologic, skin and other cancers.
“We are privileged and honored to treat our surrounding communities with compassionate and high quality cancer care,” says Dr. Flink. “While we continue to make significant progress in the fight against cancer, we are working diligently to continue to advance our research and treatment efforts so that one day we can beat this horrible disease.”
HI-TECH CANCER FIGHTERS
ICCC was the first in Lake County to provide the following advanced radiation and treatment planning technologies: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and inverse treatment planning, Image Guide Radiation Therapy (IGRT), High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy, Low-Dose Rate (LDR) Radioactive Seed Implants, Organ and Tumor Tracking with Calypso Medical Systems 4-D System, Breast HDR Irradiation, Valencia Skin HDR Irradiation and Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) using the AccuBoost technology. These treatments are resulting in increased use of radiation in cancer treatments with potentially enhanced outcomes for many people diagnosed with cancer.
The Calypso, or GPS for the Body®, is the newest treatment for prostate cancer. It is a form of IGRT that allows precision-guided radiation therapy delivery to the prostate with continuous, prostate-motion detection and monitoring. Essentially, Calypso tells the physician where the tumor location is at all times during daily radiation treatments.
AccuBoost allows the physician to see the tissue that needs treatment in real time, enabling radiation oncologists to select the area for radiation just prior to delivery and administer the dose only to the affected tissue. AccuBoost can be delivered either prior to or after the main external beam portion of the patient’s treatment. During the treatment, the patient’s breast is immobilized and imaged without the excessive discomfort commonly caused by mammograms. A special applicator is then positioned to deliver the radiation with greater accuracy and virtually eliminate unnecessary exposure to the heart, lungs and chest wall.
Because of the precision involved with IMRT, IGRT, and now Calypso and AccuBoost, ICCC radiation oncologists can use higher doses of radiation to more effectively treat the cancer. These external radiation therapy treatments are performed on an outpatient basis and provides excellent survival rates equivalent to radical surgery for prostate cancer patients. It is a non-invasive and relatively painless treatment that helps maintain a patient’s high quality of life during the treatment process.
“New therapies such as the Calypso and AccuBoost deliver higher doses of radiation with fewer complications and side effects than patients typically experience when treated with conventional radiation therapy,” added Dr. Flink. “With the multi-disciplinary approach to treating malignancies today, our new therapies are helping to provide optimal results for patients.”
ICCC is part of Vantage Oncology which includes more than 50 cancer treatment centers in 13 states providing quality, personalized care in a community setting.
For more information, please visit www.ICCCVantage.com.
THE EXPERIENCE OF
INTERCOMMUNITY CANCER CENTERS
ICCC has 25 years of cancer-fighting experience having treated over 10,000 patients. They are dedicated to empowering patients to have the confidence they need to change their lives. Radiation Oncologist Herman Flink, M.D., was trained at Johns Hopkins University and is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology. He brings exceptional expertise in treating breast, lung, prostate, gynecologic, skin and other cancers.
As part of a larger, nation-wide oncology group of physicians and specialists under Vantage Oncology, the oncologists at ICCC have access to aggregated clinical information and best practices from the treatment of more than 1,000 patients per day, enabling them to develop highly-effective and peer-collaborated treatments. This gives many of the centers that work with Vantage, including ICCC, the ability to offer university-quality treatment services in smaller and more rural areas. It gives local communities exceptional services closer to home and in a non-hospital setting. To learn more, please visit www.ICCCVantage.com.
ABOUT VANTAGE ONCOLOGY
Vantage Oncology offers a complete development, Vantage Oncology offers a complete development, implementation and management solution for radiation oncology practices. It provides ownership opportunities that empower physicians to maintain control of their practice while leveraging the strength of the company’s network and clinical resources. A multi-disciplinary team is committed to continuously raising the standards of cancer care. Vantage provides patients and their families with ultimate peace of mind through its commitment to clinical excellence and superior outcomes. For more information, please visit www.VantageOncology.com.
Lady Lake
922 Rolling Acres Road
Lady Lake, FL 32159
352-674-6300
www.VantageOncology.com
