Published on December 20, 2021
Read Time: Four Minutes
A year-long observance will highlight contributions to cancer care and its impact on improving the quality of care for cancer patients
Rolla, MO: In the coming year, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC), an accrediting body of the Phelps Health Delbert Day Cancer Institute (DDCI), will observe its centennial anniversary. The yearlong campaign will celebrate this important milestone, honor the dedication and leadership of those who have helped to build and shape the CoC, and identify new opportunities to improve the care of cancer patients.
The CoC’s success in improving the quality of cancer care is directly attributed to the contributions and commitment of participating accredited programs dedicated to providing quality cancer care. This includes the cancer program at Phelps Health, which has been accredited by the CoC since 2005.
“Over the past century, the organizations and individuals represented in the CoC have consistently and tirelessly advanced the quality and standards of cancer care,” said CoC Chair Timothy Mullett, MD, FACS. “As a result, today there are more than 1,500 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico, treating more than 70 percent of patients with cancer in this country.”
Established by the ACS in 1922, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations, dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care.
As a CoC-accredited facility, the Phelps Health DDCI takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that require consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists in a multidisciplinary partnership created to improve patient care.
“The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer accreditation is an extremely valuable asset to our cancer center as it provides a way to monitor patient care and treatment quality,” said Christopher Spencer, MD, MS, DABR, the medical director of the Phelps Health DDCI and medical director of radiation oncology at Phelps Health.
“Earning accreditation also offers a benchmark to compare ourselves to other accredited cancer centers throughout the nation to ensure that we are providing the highest-quality care to our patients and our communities,” Dr. Spencer said.
Throughout the coming year the CoC will feature special 100-year anniversary content in the Cancer Programs News weekly newsletter, on ACS Cancer Programs social media channels, and on the new 100-year anniversary website. Anniversary coverage will include video interviews with past and present CoC leadership, historical articles and photos, profiles of long-running accredited programs and member organizations, reviews of medical journal articles that highlight the importance of National Cancer Database data, and bylined articles on topics of interest to the cancer care community. In addition, the January 2022 issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons will be dedicated to the CoC’s 100-year anniversary.
By following the CoC’s cancer care standards, Phelps Health is a leader in the community in setting forth compassionate, personalized care that is coordinated to treat the whole patient. The 100-year anniversary celebrates the CoC’s lasting dedication to quality cancer care. Learn more about the cancer program at Phelps Health.
About Phelps Health
Phelps Health serves over 200,000 residents in south-central Missouri. Phelps Health is county-owned, non-tax supported and is overseen by a five-member elected board. Phelps Health employs more than 1,900 people, including 100-plus providers. Phelps Health, which includes a hospital licensed for 242 patient beds, serves a six-county area, with its main campus and several clinics located in Rolla, Missouri. Phelps Health also has clinics in Salem, St. James, Vienna and Waynesville, Missouri. For more information, visit phelpshealth.org.
About the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACS CoC)
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. As a part of its dedication to the ethical and competent practice of surgery, the ACS established the CoC in 1922 as a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care. For more information on the CoC, visit: https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc.
