MECCC Earns Three-Year Accreditation from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons – Again!
BRONX, N.Y., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) continues to rank among the nation’s top cancer centers, earning Three-Year Accreditation once again from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). One of the most respected and prestigious designations for cancer care, this continuous accreditation builds on MECCC earning comprehensive status from the National Cancer Institute in 2023.
The CoC surveyor noted MECCC as “exceptional,” providing top marks for commitment to research, surgical excellence and nursing continuing education—all critical components to providing the very best cancer care.
Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients. To earn CoC accreditation, a center must meet or exceed 38 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years, and maintain excellence in the quality of patient care, including prevention, education, research and survivorship.
Research Fueling Excellence
Ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals in the nation for cancer care according to U.S. News & World Report –
- 235 MECCC members are engaged in high-impact, transdisciplinary research.
- MECCC enrolls more than 1,000 patients in its 320 + active clinical trials.
- Approximately 80% of MECCC clinical trial participants are from historically underrepresented groups, compared to only 8% nationwide.
Scientific findings and community-based research ensure cancer care is constantly evolving based on the most up-to-date insights. For example, surgical led initiatives like MECCC’s Lung Cancer Screening Program and Follow-up ASessmenT of Lung Nodules Clinic (FAST-Clinic), uses AI to identify and track patients at increased risk of lung cancer, and has contributed to reducing the incidence of advanced stage 4 lung cancers in the Bronx by nearly 12%. Life-saving initiatives, such as these, contributed to the renewal of the CoC also naming MECCC as an ACS Surgical Quality Partner.
“By focusing on patient-friendly screening methods and sophisticated surgical diagnostic techniques, cancers are being discovered earlier, when they are most treatable with minimally invasive surgery,” said Brendon M. Stiles, M.D., chief, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery & Surgical Oncology; associate director, Surgical Oncology, MECCC, and professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Einstein.
Nearly all 200 MECCC nurses also participated in continuing education courses to advance patient care, ranging from Essentials of Oncology Nurses to Managing Oncologic Emergencies. These education courses are on top of MECCC nurses’ commitment to researching, understanding and supporting the social determinants of health, distress and survivorship issues that directly impact cancer patients’ outcomes.
“Our educational initiatives are designed by nurses, for nurses – so having these efforts be recognized by the Commission on Cancer is incredibly rewarding,” said Maureen Scanlan, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nurse executive, Montefiore Einstein. “Receiving feedback on our processes from the CoC expands our ability to standardize care experiences across 20 oncology specialties for patients and clinicians, alike.”
The achievements recognized were made possible by the MECCC Cancer Registry Team who collect and report patients’ complete history, diagnosis, treatment and health status.
“Our continued CoC accreditation reflects the tremendous talent and dedication of MECCC specialists in caring for patients of the Bronx and beyond,” said Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of MECCC, Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of oncology, medicine, and molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and vice president of cancer medicine at Montefiore Medicine. “I’m incredibly grateful for Dr. Katia Papalezova, surgical oncologist, lead, MECCC Melanoma & Sarcoma Program, Associate Professor, Surgery, Einstein, who served as the head of our Cancer Committee throughout this cycle, and Linda Fisher, our Director of Cancer Registry Program & Analytics, for their leadership. Together, this dynamic duo worked tirelessly to ensure that the CoC standards were met, and above all, our marriage of science, patient care, and community advocacy shined.”
About Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center and a national leader in cancer research and clinical care located in the racially and ethnically diverse borough of the Bronx, N.Y. MECCC combines the exceptional science of Albert Einstein College of Medicine with the multidisciplinary and team-based approach to cancer clinical care at Montefiore Health System. Founded in 1971 and an NCI-designated cancer center since 1972, MECCC is redefining excellence in cancer research, clinical care, education and training, and community outreach and engagement. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cancer for all, especially people from historically underrepresented groups.
SOURCE Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
