News

Tunnell Cancer Center Earns National Recognition for Quality

02/06/09

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons has granted a Three-Year Approval with Commendation to the Tunnell Cancer Center at Beebe Medical Center.

This is the second time in a row that Tunnell Cancer Center has gained the coveted Commendation designation, although Tunnell Cancer Center has consistently received approval from the Commission on Cancer.

The Commission grants the Three-Year Approval with Commendation to a cancer facility following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the facility must demonstrate a Commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program. These standards include cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement.

According to the Commission, approval is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that agree to undergo a rigorous performance evaluation.

We are extremely proud to have earned the Commission's highest approval award, said Cherrie Rich, Director of Oncology Services at Beebe Medical Center. This is a tribute to all of those involved in the cancer program, including not only the medical oncologists, radiology oncologists and cancer center nurses and staff, but the pharmacists and all those in the laboratory, in dietary, in home health and community outreach, and those in our Tumor Registry who accurately report the data. This true team effort signifies our commitment to our patients and our community.

The Tunnell Cancer Center opened in November of 1995 at the Beebe Medical Center main campus in Lewes. Following more than a decade of growth, in 2006 the center moved into its present modern and spacious location at the Beebe Health Campus on John J. Williams Highway in Rehoboth Beach. Tunnell Cancer Center began in 1995 with two doctors and a handful of staff. Today, it is served by five specialist physicians, staffed by about 50 employees, and visited by more than 200 patients a day.

Tunnell Cancer Center provides progressive, compassionate and comprehensive care. It offers patients the latest in chemotherapy and radiation treatment, as well as screenings, education materials and dietary counseling, support groups and outreach programs. Its patients also have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials used to study the latest breakthroughs in cancer treatment through its affiliation with Christiana Care Health System's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center's Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). In 2007, a total of 5.1 percent of Tunnell Cancer Center patients participated in clinical trials, which is above the national average of 3 percent. This reflects the Center's efforts to bring the highest quality and most effective care to its patients.

Detailed information on Tunnell Cancer Center can be found in the annual report, published in December 2008, which is available free by contacting the center at (302) 645-3770. The colorful 2009 calendar, which highlights cancer survivors and provides information on the center, also is available free.

The Commission on Cancer was established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons. It 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. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 40 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.

According to the Commission, receiving care at a CoC-approved cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:

* Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the art services and equipment.
* A multi-specialty 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 state of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up.
* Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care.
* Quality-care close to home.


Each CoC-approved cancer program reports its cancer patient data to the CoC's National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint CoC/American Cancer Society program. NCDB is a nationwide oncology outcomes database for more than 1,400 Commission-approved cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Some 75% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer in the United States are captured at the institutional level and reported to the NCDB. The NCDB, begun in 1989, now contains approximately 20 million records from hospital cancer registries across the United States. These data are used to explore trends in cancer care, create regional and state benchmarks for participating hospitals, and to serve as the basis for quality improvement. Visit the Web site www.facs.org/cancer/index.html for more information about the Commission on Cancer.

Caption: Here is the cover of the 2008 Cancer Annual Report, published in December and available for free at the Tunnell Cancer Center, located at the Beebe Health Campus, 18947 John J. Williams Highway, Rehoboth Beach.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at .