PITTSBURGH, Aug. 8, 2019 – UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC East was granted a full three-year accreditation by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The CoC accreditation follows an extensive onsite survey and is awarded only to institutions that demonstrate a commitment to providing high-quality, multidisciplinary, patient-centered cancer care.
To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, an institution must exceed 34 quality-care standards categorized within cancer program activity areas, including program management, clinical services, continuum of care services, patient outcomes and data quality.
"Exceeding these stringent standards can't happen without our whole team," said Rajesh Sehgal, MD, chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UPMC East. "This means our program is recognized for our multidisciplinary approach to providing cancer care that focuses on the patient and relies on a strong, coordinated effort by our team of physicians, nurses and staff members."
"This accreditation is essentially a guarantee to our cancer patients and their families that they will have access to a full scope of services from diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation," said Dhaval Mehta, M.D., medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC East. "It also further illustrates our dedication to provide the highest quality and personalized care to those in Pittsburgh's eastern region."
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is the region's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and is among the largest cancer networks in the country with more than 60 locations, including UPMC East. The multidisciplinary team approach provides patients with access to surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists and other cancer specialists, all close to home. Patients also have access to clinical trials, immunotherapies, genetic counseling and additional support services including nutrition and rehabilitation focused on improving a cancer survivors' quality of life.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC East maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base, a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. This nationwide oncology outcomes database is the largest clinical disease registry in the world. Data on all types of cancer are tracked and analyzed through the National Cancer Database and is used to explore trends in cancer care.
