IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 503 

Recognizing the importance of cancer program accreditation in ensuring 

comprehensive, high-quality, patient-centered cancer care. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 

Ms. JENKINS of Kansas (for herself and Mr. THOMPSON of California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of cancer program accreditation 

in ensuring comprehensive, high-quality, patient-centered 

cancer care. 

Whereas accreditation from the American College of Surgeons is a voluntary commitment by a cancer program 

that ensures patients will have access to the full scope of 

services required to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate, and support patients with cancer and their families; 

Whereas the Commission on Cancer, established in 1922, is 

a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to 

improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients 

and their families; 

Whereas the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers represents a consortium of national, professional orVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:41 Sep 07, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR503.IH HR503

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•HRES 503 IH 

ganizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality 

of care and monitoring of outcomes of patients with diseases of the breast; 

Whereas the American College of Surgeons accredited cancer 

programs are expanding into programs in rectal cancer, 

vascular medicine, complex gastrointestinal problems, and 

other areas to further the value proposition of common 

oncologic conditions; 

Whereas accreditation allows cancer programs to continually 

evaluate performance and take proactive, corrective actions when necessary; 

Whereas continuous evaluation reaffirms the commitment of 

the cancer program to provide high-quality, patient-centered cancer care; 

Whereas accreditation is regarded as important in improving 

oncologic outcomes through compliance with standards 

that include continuous quality improvement; 

Whereas quality standards required for accreditation assure 

that patients receive comprehensive care with a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best available treatment options; 

Whereas patients treated by accredited cancer programs receive information about ongoing cancer clinical trials and 

new treatment options, and access to a cancer database 

that offers lifelong patient followup; 

Whereas accreditation promotes access to prevention and 

early detection programs, cancer education, and support 

services; 

Whereas patients treated in accredited cancer programs have 

access to the full continuum of patient-centered care including distress screening, patient navigation, and delivVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:41 Sep 07, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR503.IH HR503

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•HRES 503 IH 

ery of survivorship care plans that detail treatments received and provide detailed information on future care 

needs; 

Whereas accreditation requires evaluation of the entire scope, 

organization, and activity of a cancer program by external peer review from specially trained surveyors who 

evaluate compliance with stringent standards designed to 

promote high-quality care; 

Whereas the quality reporting tools from the over 30,000,000 

cases reported to the Commission on Cancer’s National 

Cancer Database provide feedback needed to initiate 

quality improvement studies which ultimately lead to implementation of quality improvements in accredited cancer programs; 

Whereas the cancer accreditation programs of the American 

College of Surgeons use data submitted to such Database 

to verify and improve quality of care in cancer programs 

and to further scientific research; and 

Whereas the American College of Surgeons accredited cancer 

programs in the United States and Puerto Rico care for 

approximately 70 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients in the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the importance of accreditation of cancer programs 

3 by the American College of Surgeons for the purpose of 

4 assuring patient access to high-quality, comprehensive 

5 cancer care. 

Æ 


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