Vista Retains Cancer Accreditation
Vista Health System today announced that it has been granted a three-year Accreditation with Commendation for its Cancer Program from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons.
“This is an important step forward in the growth of our Cancer Program at Vista Health System,” said Barbara J. Martin, President and CEO of Vista Health System. “We are committed to providing the people of Lake County and the surrounding area with a premier comprehensive oncology program with an outstanding team of physicians, nurses and clinical staff. I'm very proud of the strides we've made in recent years to build our program so that it is on par with the finest in the Chicago area.”
This designation by the CoC adds to the growing list of Centers of Excellence at Vista Health System. Within the past six months, Vista has retained its certification for the Gold Seal of Approval for Hip & Knee Surgery, while receiving accreditation for the first time as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence and for its Congestive Heart Failure program. In addition, Vista Medical Center West is the northern suburbs' only CARF-accredited Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, while Vista Medical Center East is a Level II Trauma Center.
The accreditation was received following an on-site evaluation in late 2011 by a physician surveyor. Vista demonstrated a Commendation level of compliance with six key standards that represent the scope of Vista's Cancer Program. The Commendation levels were cited for: cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research and community outreach.
Receiving care at a CoC-accredited cancer program such as Vista's ensures that a patient will have access to:
• Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
• A multispecialty, 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 stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up
• Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care
• Quality care, close to home.
According to estimates by the American Cancer Society, more than 1.6 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2011. Currently, more than 1,500 cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico are accredited by the CoC, representing 25 percent of all hospitals. These hospitals diagnose and/or treat 71 percent of all newly diagnosed patients each year.
Patients with questions about cancer can call the new Vista Cancer Help Line at 847-360-4063. A nurse navigator will return all calls within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.