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) sub-
mitted 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 Sur-
geons 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 sup-
port 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 Cen-
ters represents a consortium of national, professional or-
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•HRES 503 IH 
ganizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality 
of care and monitoring of outcomes of patients with dis-
eases 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 ac-
tions when necessary; 
Whereas continuous evaluation reaffirms the commitment of 
the cancer program to provide high-quality, patient-cen-
tered 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 multi-
disciplinary team approach to coordinate the best avail-
able treatment options; 
Whereas patients treated by accredited cancer programs re-
ceive 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 in-
cluding distress screening, patient navigation, and deliv-
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ery of survivorship care plans that detail treatments re-
ceived and provide detailed information on future care 
needs; 
Whereas accreditation requires evaluation of the entire scope, 
organization, and activity of a cancer program by exter-
nal 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 im-
plementation of quality improvements in accredited can-
cer 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 pa-
tients in the United States: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog-
nizes the importance of accreditation of cancer programs 
by the American College of Surgeons for the purpose of 
assuring patient access to high-quality, comprehensive 
cancer care. 
Æ 
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