The Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth Cancer Program has received the Outstanding Achievement Award – the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer’s highest honor – for the fifth consecutive time.
“Receiving this award is a demonstration and affirmation of the commitment and care provided by all of our caregivers to the patients and families dealing with cancer who come to our hospital,” said Elaine Nelson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, chief nursing officer. “The appreciation for the entire team cannot be stressed enough.”
The program, which was the first in Tarrant County to be accredited by the Commission in 2006, joins an elite group of 24 hospitals nationwide recognized for their performance in 2018.
“I’m really proud that we have attained a level of excellence and have maintained it,” said Kirsten Drake, DNP, R.N., OCN, NEA-BC, director of medical-surgical renal oncology nursing at the hospital. “The standards get harder and harder as you go.”
The award recognizes cancer programs that not only meet the standards of the Commission but also go beyond expectations, Drake said.
Texas Health Fort Worth’s program has a 35-bed inpatient unit specifically for cancer patients and offers a wide range of multidisciplinary care to help meet patient needs, from cancer prevention through staging, treatment planning, rehabilitation, spiritual help and continuing care/cure to survivorship.
Texas Health Fort Worth’s program was evaluated on 34 program standards within five activity areas: program management, clinical services, continuum of care services, patient outcomes and data quality.
The award “recognizes the outstanding effort and commitment by your entire cancer program, including both the clinical and administrative staff, for providing high-quality cancer care to your patients,” says a letter from Lawrence N. Shulman, M.D., FACP, chairman of the Commission on Cancer.
By Judy Wiley • Posted April 9, 2019
