Billings Clinic Cancer Center Receives Perfect Score by the Commission on Cancer

PR Log (Press Release) – Jun 23, 2008 – The Cancer Center was formally recognized in 2004 as the first and only community hospital comprehensive cancer program in Eastern and Central Montana and Wyoming. Billings Clinic is now being considered for the Commission on Cancer’s national Outstanding Achievement Award due to the high number of commendations. In order to maintain approval, facilities with approved cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years. Billings Clinic received nine commendations from the Commission on Cancer, including commendation for quality comparisons to national standards, clinical research trial participation and prevention and early detection programs.

“This second consecutive 3-year accreditation by the Commission on Cancer as a Comprehensive Cancer Program is confirmation that Billings Clinic continues to raise the level of cancer care in our region. Billings Clinic Cancer Center has been created on a strong foundation, and we have continued to improve, evidenced by our commendations on 9 out of 9 categories. We owe this standard of excellence to all of the physicians, nurses and staff who hold patient quality as their number one priority,” said Medical Oncologist Thomas Purcell, MD, Director of the Billings Clinic’s Cancer Center.

In order to maintain approval, facilities with approved cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years. Billings Clinic received nine commendations from the Commission on Cancer, including commendation for quality comparisons to national standards, clinical research trial participation and prevention and early detection programs.

Receiving care at a Commission on Cancer-approved cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:

•   Quality care close to home.
•   Comprehensive care offering a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment.
•   A multi-specialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available to cancer patients.
•   Information about cancer research trials, education, and support.
•   Lifelong patient follow-up through a cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results.
•   Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care.

Working with the American Cancer Society, the Cancer Liaison Program of the Commission on Cancer is supported by more than 1,500 voluntary Liaison Physicians, including Dr. Thomas Purcell, Cancer Center Director at Billings Clinic, who supports cancer-control initiatives and the cancer program activities locally. The Commission also tracks national, regional, and local cancer care patterns and trends through the National Cancer Database, another joint project with the American Cancer Society. In addition, the Commission sets standards for cancer registry data collection used by all approved cancer programs and conducts national quality management and improvement studies for specific cancer sites. Results of these studies are used by cancer program leadership to monitor and improve patient care.