Mercy Medical Center's Michael D. Wachtel Cancer Center granted three-year accreditation with commendation
The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons grants three-year accreditation
10 / 14 / 2011
Go to Newsroom
Maria Nelson, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
(920) 720-1752
(920) 554-0686 (pager)
OSHKOSH, Wis. – The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted three-year accreditation with commendation to the cancer program at the Michael D. Wachtel Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center, following an onsite evaluation by a physician surveyor. Accreditation with commendation is received when a facility demonstrates a commendation level of compliance with one or more standards representing the full scope of the cancer program, including cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement. Mercy Medical Center’s cancer center received the highest number of commendations possible for a facility to receive, eight out of eight.
"We are honored to have Mercy Medical Center’s cancer program granted accreditation with commendation," said John Fuller, manager of Affinity Health System cancer c enters. "Our staff strives to provide the highest quality of personalized care to our patients and this is apparent in receiving all eight possible commendations."
Receiving care at a CoC-accredited cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:
- Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the art services and equipment
- A multispecialty, 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 type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up
- Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care
- Programs to implement quality improvement initiatives that promote the delivery of quality, multidisciplinary cancer care and lead to ongoing educational interventions with local providers
- Quality care close to home
###
###
For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a faith-based regional health care network, is the Fox Valley’s second-largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For the fourth consecutive year, Affinity has been named one of the nation’s top 64 health systems based on clinical performance according to Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care. For ten consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It has been nationally ranked in the Top 50 Health Insurance Plans for five consecutive years in the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 26 family practice and specialty clinics – 23 of which are recognized as NCQA Level III medical homes, the highest level of recognition – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.