THE DALLES, Ore.— The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons, has granted three-year Accreditation with Commendation to the cancer program at Celilo Cancer Center at Mid-Columbia Medical Center (MCMC). To earn this high distinction, a cancer program must meet or exceed the CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through an intense survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive, patient­centered care.

As part of its philosophy of care, Celilo Cancer Center takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary partnership results in improved patient care and is central to earning the CoC accreditation.

“Celilo Cancer Center at Mid-Columbia Medical Center provides high-quality, compassionate cancer care by a team of specially trained physicians and other health professionals who utilize the latest technologies and treatments,” said Serene Perkins, M.D., chief medical officer at MCMC. “We are honored by this national designation and are proud to serve our community by offering exceptional cancer care right here in the Columbia River Gorge.”

The CoC accreditation program provides the framework for Celilo Cancer Center to enhance its quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs that focus on the full spectrum of care including prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, lifelong follow­up and end-of-life care. When patients receive care at a CoC facility, they also have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, and patient centered services including psycho-social support, a patient navigation process, and a survivorship care plan that documents the care each patient receives and seeks to improve cancer survivors' quality of life.

Like all CoC-accredited facilities, Celilo Cancer Center maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Database, a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. This nationwide outcomes database is the largest such registry in the world and tracks and analyzes all types of cancer to explore trends in cancer care. CoC-accredited cancer centers, in tum, have access to information derived from this type of data analysis, which is used to create national, regional and state benchmark reports. These reports help CoC facilities, such as Celilo Cancer Center, with their quality improvement efforts.

Founded in 1901 and located in The Dalles, Mid-Columbia Medical Center is a nationally recognized hospital dedicated to serving residents of The Dalles and its surrounding communities. In 1992 MCMC became the first hospital in the nation to integrate the Planetree philosophy of patient care, which emphasizes the need to address a person’s intellectual, environmental, emotional and spiritual concerns in addition to their physical needs. As a Planetree hospital, MCMC works to provide a caring, nurturing and educational environment; puts great efforts into humanizing and demystifying the medical experience; and strives to empower people to become active partners in their own healthcare. For more information visit mcmc.net.