Kona Community Hospital (KCH) is currently in the process of having its cancer program accredited through the American College of Surgeon’s Commission on Care (CoC.) The CoC developed an approvals program that has national standards of delivery of cancer care services. This voluntary process ensures that patients have access to the full scope of services required to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate, and support patients with cancer and their families. With this accreditation, a cancer program is able to continually evaluate its performance and take proactive corrective action when necessary. This continuous evaluation reaffirms the commitment of the program to provide quality patient care.
“Kona Community Hospital is committed to providing the best care for its community,” commented Earl Greenia, CEO of Kona Community Hospital. “Our hospital and medical staff take pride in their work and we are confident that we will be accredited and maintain that status.”
Accredited programs receive notable benefits from the CoC that enhance their program. These include recognition on a national level, organized care, quality improvement measures, data analysis and public awareness. For the patient and community, the quality standards established by the CoC for cancer programs ensure that:
- Comprehensive care including a complete range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
- A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best available treatment options
- Information about ongoing cancer clinical trials and new treatment options
- Access to prevention and early detection programs, cancer education, and support services
- A cancer registry that offers lifelong patient follow-up
- Ongoing monitoring and improvements in cancer care
- Quality care, close to home
The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures states that in 2006 an estimated 1,399,790 individuals were diagnosed with cancer. The CoC notes that from research conducted on 5000 general medical/surgical facilities, 25% of hospitals nationwide have approved programs and 80% of patients with cancer are diagnosed and treated in approved programs. The number of approved programs in 2007 was 1457. The state of Hawaii currently has six approved programs which are all located on Oahu.
Accreditation awards are based on compliance with the CoC’s 36 standards. The rigorous process of being part of this elite program takes time. KCH expects to be accredited by 2012.