Silver Cross Hospital Earns National Accreditation from Commission on Cancer

Photo Caption: Lung cancer specialists meet weekly in the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital to coordinate care so that patients can begin treatment within the shortest time possible.

By Tracy Simons | Silver Cross Hospital

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons has granted a three-year accreditation to the cancer program at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

In order to maintain and receive accreditation, facilities must ensure its patients have access to the full scope of services required to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate and support patients with cancer and their families. Facilities also go through continuous evaluation to reaffirm its commitment of the program to provide quality cancer care.

CoC-approved cancer programs must undergo an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor from CoC every three years to maintain accreditation. During which the facility demonstrates a commendation level of compliance with numerous standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program, including institutional and programmatic resources, cancer committee leadership, cancer data management and registry operations, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and staff support and quality improvement.

[ A Sponsored Feature by Silver Cross Hospital ]

“This accreditation is a testament to Silver Cross Hospital’s commitment to providing high quality cancer care to the residents of Will County and surrounding communities through the services available both inside the hospital and at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center on our campus,” stated Paul Pawlak, President/CEO of Silver Cross Hospital. “It also reflects the dedication and hard work of the Silver Cross family, especially the nursing staff, physicians, cancer registrars, and other health professionals.”

Silver Cross has partnered with University of Chicago Medicine to bring academic cancer specialists and their advanced investigational therapies into a community hospital setting. In 2012, the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital opened on the New Lenox campus. The facility provides state-of-the-art chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well as access to hundreds of clinical trials. The University of Chicago Medicine maintains more active clinical trials for the treatment of cancer than any other program in Illinois. It also offers two TrueBeam new-generation linear accelerator systems, which delivers precisely targeted radiation therapy to provide the best results. In addition, other services provided at the Comprehensive Cancer Center include cancer support services, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, infusion services, multi-disciplinary conferences for breast and lung cancer, and preventative screenings.

Receiving care at a Commission on Cancer approved program, such as Silver Cross Hospital’s cancer program, ensures that a patient will have access to

• Quality care close to home
• Comprehensive care offering a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
• A multi-specialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available to cancer patients
• Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
• Access to prevention and early detection programs, education and support services
• A cancer registry offering lifelong patient follow-up
• Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care.

The CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care.

For a free referral to a physician on staff at Silver Cross who specializes in cancer care, call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325). For more information about the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital, visit www.ucmcancer-sch.org or call 1-855-UCM-1400

About Silver Cross Hospital

Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With over 3,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 289-bed acute care hospital and 5 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Silver Cross opened a state-of-the-art replacement hospital on February 26, 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox. In 2013, Silver Cross provided over $48 million in charity care and other community benefits. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325). Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.