UM St. Joseph Medical Center Cancer Institute Earns Highest Recognition from the Commission on Cancer

Towson hospital receives 3-year Gold Level accreditation with commendation

BALTIMORE, MD - July 16, 2014 - The University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center’s Cancer Institute has earned a three-year accreditation with commendation from the American College of Surgeon’s Commission on Cancer (CoC). A recognized affiliate of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, the UM St. Joseph Cancer Institute was specially recognized with Gold Level accreditation by earning commendations for all seven program standards defined within the rating system. Nursing care, clinical trials, and public reporting of outcomes were among the areas of focus. 

The UM St. Joseph’s Cancer Institute is accredited as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program, a distinction given to community hospitals that maintain excellence in comprehensive, patient-centered care.  To earn CoC accreditation, hospitals must meet or exceed 34 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive, patient-centered care.

"Receiving gold level accreditation with commendation is further evidence of the Cancer Institute’s tradition of excellence in patient care," says surgical oncologist John Olson, MD, PhD, medical director of the UM St. Joseph Cancer Institute, vice chair of the Department of Surgery and professor of surgery at the UM School of Medicine, and head of general and oncologic surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center. "It distinguishes UM St. Joseph as a premier provider of cancer care in our community and positions us among an elite group of hospitals that have achieved this high standard," says Olson.

A CoC-approved cancer program ensures that patients have access to comprehensive care, including state-of-the-art services and equipment; a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available; cancer-related information, education and support; lifelong patient follow-up through a cancer registry that collects data on types and stages of cancers and treatment results; and information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options.

"This accreditation certifies that our patients benefit from the expertise of our multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists who provide the best possible care all in one location,” says Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, president and chief executive officer of the UM St. Joseph Medical Center and Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “Our approach to cancer treatment and our expert, highly skilled team make quality achievements like this possible. We are honored to receive Gold Level accreditation with commendation."

About the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center
The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, which is part of the University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The center is recognized for its active clinical and basic science research program. It has comprehensive programs to treat all types of cancer and is a major referral center for patients throughout Maryland and the region. It is ranked in the top 50 of 900 cancer centers nationwide by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, go to www.umgcc.org.

UM St. Joseph Medical Center, which was founded in 1864 by the Sisters of St. Francis, is a 235-bed nonprofit, regional medical center in Towson, Md., and a member of the 12-hospital University of Maryland Medical System. For more information, visit www.stjosephtowson.com.