Sister Caritas Cancer Center Earns Radiation Oncology Accreditation

SPRINGFIELD — The Sister Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Radiation oncology, or radiation therapy, is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer. A radiation oncologist may use radiation to cure cancer or to relieve a cancer patient’s pain.

“This accreditation not only confirms the Sister Caritas Cancer Center’s commitment to ensuring the best possible outcomes for our patients, but it also reflects the hard work and dedication of our cancer-care team,” said Dr. Asha Dhamija, chief medical officer of Mercy Medical Center and Johnson Memorial Hospital.

The ACR is the nation’s oldest and most widely accepted radiation oncology accrediting body, with more than 700 accredited sites and 30 years of accreditation experience. The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting specific, requirements-based practice guidelines and technical standards developed by ACR after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists who are experts in the field.

Patient care and treatment, patient safety, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality-control procedures, and quality-assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported back to the facility and provide the practice with a comprehensive report that can be used for continuous practice improvement.