UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital’s cancer services have once again received accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
According to a news release, this distinction places St. Luke’s among a group of only 11 facilities accredited in Iowa – including University of Iowa Health Care.
St. Luke’s has maintained its CoC accreditation since 2010 and is part of the Nassif Community Cancer Center.
Founded in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations committed to enhancing survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients. The commission achieves this through setting standards, promoting prevention, conducting research, providing education, and monitoring comprehensive quality care.
The core functions of the CoC include setting quality standards for multidisciplinary cancer patient care, surveying facilities for compliance, collecting high-quality data, and developing educational interventions to improve cancer care outcomes nationwide.
With approximately 1,500 CoC-accredited cancer programs across the United States and Puerto Rico, these facilities treat over 70 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. Patients receiving care at a CoC-accredited program benefit from comprehensive, high-quality cancer care close to home.
“We are proud to once again receive national accreditation,” said Andrea Watkinson, director of UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital Cancer Care and Nassif Community Cancer Center in the release. “This recognition is a testament to the long-standing dedication and expertise of our entire team. It demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest quality of care and support to our patients and their families.”
