KP Fresno earns prestigious national cancer center accreditation
Kaiser Permanente Fresno’s outstanding care to cancer patients was recognized by the American College of Surgeons with the Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation.
“This accreditation translates into a wonderful care experience for the patient,” Physician in Chief Smita Rouillard, MD, said. “Patients have access to state-of-the-art care due to a multidisciplinary and evidence-based approach. This, along with our contributions to the National Cancer Institute’s clinical trials, places us on the map for high-quality cancer care.”
To earn this three-year accreditation, a cancer program must meet or exceed the CoC 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.
“We are thrilled to be recognized for the exceptional care we provide cancer patients in our community,” Senior Vice President and Area Manager Debbie Hemker, RN, said. “Our highly-skilled team of providers is dedicated to providing compassionate and healing care to patients and their families.”
KP Fresno’s Comprehensive Cancer Care committee has been focused on achieving this accreditation for the past two years.
“The entire committee has made our program successful by dedicating their extra time to improvement and innovation for the benefit of our patients,” Associate Physician in Charge Medicine Specialties and Oncology Chief Brandy Box Noriega, MD, said. “We received commendation on four measures* which is exceptional for a new program. We are the only health care organization in the Fresno Area with such accolades.”
CoC-accredited cancer centers like Fresno must demonstrate that they take a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists.
“I am proud of the teamwork and focus at KP Fresno. I am humbled by the number of colleagues who were dedicated to this work prior to any recognition or reward,” Surgeon and CoC Liaison Nicole Hill, MD, said. “Our team-based approach allows us to show tremendous depth, diversity and experience in our programs and goals.”
When patients receive care at a CoC-accredited facility, they also have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, and patient-centered services including psychosocial support, patient navigation, and a survivorship care plan. These integrated partnerships result in improved patient care.
“We are excited to continue our mission to improve the quality of life and experience for our patients throughout their treatment journey, from day of diagnosis to survivorship,” Dr. Box said.
“We hope this accreditation is reaffirming to our members that we will continue to stand beside them through the challenges they face,” Dr. Hill said. “Our patients share their lives with us and inspire us with their courage.”
All KP Northern California facilities are accredited.
To learn more about KP Fresno’s cancer program, read our 2017 Annual Cancer Report.
KP Fresno received commendation (special achievement) on these standards:
- Clinical Research Accruals
- Cancer Registrar Education
- Public Reporting of Outcomes
- College of American Pathologist Protocols and Synoptic Reporting
