UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL RECEIVES ACCREDITATION STATUS FROM THE COMMISSION ON CANCER

Further demonstrating its commitment to the effective treatment of a wide array of cancers, the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) at University Hospital was recently reaccredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. Qualified cancer programs receiving the accreditation have demonstrated that they provide thorough care and supportive services to their oncology patients and the surrounding community. The Rutgers CINJ at University Hospital, which delivers academic cancer care to the community in a way that alleviates lengthy travel for care, has been accredited by the CoC for more than a decade.

The recent reaccreditation from the Commission confirms that Rutgers CINJ at University Hospital patients receive comprehensive and patient-centered care, access to new treatment options and information, lifelong care and monitoring, and that UH and its partners are committed to ongoing improvement in quality of care. As part of the accreditation program, the Commission provides accredited hospitals with the framework to continually improve the quality of oncology patient care.

“We are honored that our talented and dedicated cancer care team has received this reaccreditation. At University Hospital, we are dedicated to the ideal that patients and families impacted by cancer receive the best treatment, support and guidance that we can provide,” said Mary K.E. Maples, Esq., Interim President and CEO of University Hospital. “For over a decade, we have earned the accreditation of the Commission on Cancer, which is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional care to every patient, every time.”

The team of internationally recognized physicians and researchers at the Rutgers CINJ at University Hospital, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, are driven to fight cancer each and every day. Patients have access to a variety of advanced treatments, cancer specialists and clinical staff that are committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care to both adults and children with cancer. The reaccreditation recognizes the facility’s multidisciplinary approach to treatment, including the collaborative consultation of a wide variety of cancer specialists to find the proper and most effective treatment for patients.

“With UH’s role as New Jersey’s only public acute care hospital, the institution provides these accredited cancer care services to a larger patient population who otherwise would not have access to such an advanced care program,” said Katrina L. Schirmacher, RN, MSN, Executive Director, Cancer Center. “This brings an even higher value to this reaccreditation for the Hospital and its patients.”

Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is 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.  Its membership includes the Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, visit: www.facs.org/cancer.