Hospital Program Reaccredited

(Newburgh) - The oncology program at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital has been reaccredited with commendation by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer, "ensuring patients quality care close to home," according to the Commission. Fewer than one in four hospitals that treat cancer receive this coveted approval, which is granted only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing "the highest level of quality cancer care" and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. The reaccreditation applies to both the Cornwall and Newburgh campuses.

According to the Commission, receiving care at an approved cancer program ensures patients will have access to "comprehensive care, including state-of-the-art services and equipment; a multispecialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options; information about cancer clinical trials and new treatment options; access to cancer-related information, education, and support; a cancer registry that offers lifelong patient follow-up; ongoing monitoring and improvement of care; and most importantly, quality care close to home."

"The Commission on Cancer approval is a reflection of St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital's ongoing commitment to deliver advanced and comprehensive cancer care to our community," said Dr. Gurinder Mehar, President of the SLCH Medical Staff. "Our highly skilled physicians, nurses and others on our health care team are dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care to cancer patients and their families."

As part of the approval process, hospitals are measured by national standards and scored according to adherence. Among the five inpatient and outpatient-related categories in which SLCH received commendation were: prevention and early detection, cancer-related program improvements, and review of cancer staging. Accreditation is granted for a three-year term.

In addition to comprehensive care, SLCH offers free cancer prevention and education programs for our community. A cancer survivors' support group, led by a cancer survivor, is held at 7 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Cornwall campus. Call 784-3812 for more information. Another support group, for those recently diagnosed with cancer, and led by an SLCH social worker, is held at 11 a.m. the third Saturday of each month. Call 568-2328 for more information.