The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons has ranked the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center as being among the best cancer treatment centers in the United States, earning Three-Year Accreditation from the commission.
Founded in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the Commission on Cancer (CoC) is comprised of a consortium of professional organizations that are committed to improving outcomes and the quality-of-life for patients. The prestigious designation accreditation is earned by a center that meets or exceeds 38 different quality care standards. Other requirements include being evaluated every three years and maintaining excellence in the quality of patient care, including prevention, education, research and survivorship.
The surveyor of the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) gave it strong grades when it came to commitment to research, surgical excellence and nursing continuing education. These are all critical components to providing the very best cancer care.
The Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center currently has 235 members engaged in high-impact, transdisciplinary research. Over 1,000 patients are enrolled into more than 320 active clinical trials that the cancer center operates, with 80% of these participants being from historically underrepresented groups, ten times more than the 8% average across the nation.
After earning comprehensive status from the National Cancer Center in 2023, the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center has continued to build its strong reputation. Its life-saving initiatives also played a big role in it being named as an American College of Surgeons Surgical Quality Partner. Such initiatives include the center’s Lung Cancer Screening Program and Follow-up ASsessmenT of Lung Nodules Clinic (FAST Clinic). Both initiatives involve the use of AI to identify and track patients who are at a higher risk of lung cancer. The programs have contributed to a 12% reduction in advanced stage 4 lung cancers among Bronx residents.
“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,” Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology Chief and Surgical Oncology Associate Director Brendon M. Stiles, M.D., said. Stiles also serves as a professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Einstein.
Almost all 200 nurses at the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center have taken part in continuing education courses to advance patient care. These education courses, which range from Essentials of Oncology Nurses to Managing Oncologic Emergencies, are at the top of the nurses’ commitment to researching, understanding and supporting the social determinants of health, distress and survivorship issues impacting the outcomes of patients.
“Our educational initiatives are designed by nurses, for nurses – so having these efforts be recognized by the Commission on Cancer is incredibly rewarding,” Montefiore Einstein Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive Maureen Scanlan, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, said. “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 Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Registry Team helped make the achievements possible. The team collects and reports the complete history, diagnosis, treatment and health status of each patient.
“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 and 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 and Analytics, for their leadership,” Chu continued. “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.”
