The award recognizes cancer programs providing the highest quality care to cancer patients.
Gloucester, Va., December 14, 2017 – Caring for cancer patients is a core mission for Riverside on the Middle Peninsula and the quality of that care provided at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital was recently recognized with a 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Riverside Walter Reed Hospital is one of only a select group of 16 U.S. accredited cancer programs to receive this national honor for surveys peRiverside Foundationormed January 1 – June 30, 2017.
The award encourages cancer programs to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about high quality, patient-centered care.
“By treating the mind, body and spirit at the same time, we help treat the whole patient and manage the illness at all levels,” said Riverside Vice President and Walter Reed Hospital Administrator Megan Kleckner.
The CoC Outstanding Achievement Award is intended to:
- recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence meeting the CoC Standards;
- motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of quality cancer care;
- facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices; and
- encourage honorees to serve as quality care resources to other cancer programs.
Riverside Walter Reed Hospital’s cancer program was evaluated on 34 program standards categorized within five cancer program activity areas: program management, clinical services, continuum of care services, patient outcomes and data quality. The cancer program was further evaluated on seven commendation standards. To be eligible, all award recipients must have received commendation ratings in all seven commendation standards, in addition to receiving a compliance rating for each of the 27 other standards.
“It’s pretty amazing that we have all the pieces in place, here in Gloucester, and that they work so well together,” said Oncologist Magi Khalil, M.D. of the Riverside Middle Peninsula Cancer Center’s Medical Oncology-Gloucester. In addition to offering radiation and medical oncology in the same cancer center, “we have research here, a tumor board that meets regularly, genetics and counseling, sub-specialists, safety measures, a nursing staff that promotes the highest quality patient care and a philosophy that we don’t just treat the cancer, we treat the whole patient.”
The award announcement marks just the latest industry recognition received by Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, which also earned a CoC Outstanding Achievement Award following an evaluation in 2011. The CoC also granted a Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to the Riverside Middle Peninsula Cancer Center program in 2014. The facility, located on the Riverside Walter Reed campus, was one of 75 Cancer Care facilities nationwide to receive the CoC’s National Achievement Award that same year.
Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, a sister facility within the Riverside Health System, earned a CoC Outstanding Achievement Award in 2016.
“I’ve said it many times and I’m proud to say it again,” said Paula Cottee, senior radiation therapist and manager of Riverside Walter Reed’s Radiation Oncology-Gloucester practice. “People from all walks of life, people who could go anywhere in the world for their cancer treatment, choose to come here.”
For a list of all cancer programs in the U.S. that received the award during the first half of 2017 visit: https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc/info/outstanding/2017-part-1.
ABOUT RIVERSIDE ON THE VIRGINIA MIDDLE PENINSULA
Riverside’s range of medical services on the Middle Peninsula are anchored by Riverside Walter Reed Hospital in Gloucester. The 67-bed acute care facility provides comprehensive services and state-of-the-art care and technology to the communities of the Middle Peninsula and lower Northern Neck. Hospital services include emergency, inpatient and outpatient surgery, imaging and laboratory.
In addition to family medicine, internal medicine and general surgery practices, the 43 acre campus surrounding the hospital is home to Riverside Wellness and Fitness Center, the Middle Peninsula Cancer Center, Riverside Home Care, a physical therapy suite that includes physical, nutrition, speech, hand and occupational therapies. Cardiology, ENT, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, a Neurology and Sleep Center, Orthopedicspedics, Ophthalmology, Pain Management, Physiatry, Urology, Vascular and Women's Health are also located on the hospital campus.
Beyond the campus Riverside operates Mathews Medical Center, Fishing Bay Family Practice (including pediatrics) in Deltaville, White Stone Family Practice, Riverside Walter Reed Hospice, M.D. Express and near the southern end of Gloucester, Hayes Medical Center. For older adults, Riverside’s Sanders Retirement Community and Heron Cove provide independent living, assisted living, long-term nursing care as well as respite and rehabilitation services in the court house area of Gloucester. Convalescent Centers are located in Mathews, Saluda and West Point.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS COMMISSION ON CANCER
Established in 1922 by the ACS, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care. The CoC’s accreditation program encourages hospitals, treatment centers, and other facilities to improve their quality of patient care through various cancer-related services. For more information on the CoC, visit: https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc.