Kuakini Medical Center’s Oncology Program received a three-year accreditation with commendation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. The CoC granted the accreditation following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor in October who reviewed Kuakini’s compliance of 36 CoC standards.

Kuakini’s areas of commendation:
• Outcomes Analysis – Completed two or more outcome analyses each year
• National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) Quality Criteria – Submitted NCDB data on-time and error free each year
• CAP Guidelines – Excellent CAP compliance and synoptic reporting
• Prevention and Early Detection – Very active outreach program
• Cancer-related quality improvements – Very good improvements each year

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.5 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2011. Cancer patients who receive care from Kuakini or another CoC accredited facility can be assured that they will have access to comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment; a multispecialty and 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 the type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up; ongoing monitoring and improvement of care; and quality care close to home.

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.