IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 487 
Recognizing the importance of cancer program accreditation in ensuring 
comprehensive, high quality, patient-centered cancer care. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 22, 2015 
Ms. JENKINS of Kansas (for herself and Mr. NEAL) 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 Sur-
geons Commission on Cancer (CoC) is a voluntary com-
mitment by a cancer program that ensures patients will 
have access to the full scope of services required to diag-
nose, 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; 
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•HRES 487 IH 
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 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 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 registry 
that offers lifelong patient follow-up; 
Whereas accreditation promotes access to prevention and 
early detection programs, cancer education, and support 
services; 
Whereas patients treated in accredited programs have access 
to the full continuum of patient centered care including 
distress screening, patient navigation and delivery of sur-
vivorship care plans that detail treatments received and 
provides 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; 
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•HRES 487 IH 
Whereas the quality reporting tools from the over 30,000,000 
cases reported to the Commission on Cancer’s National 
Cancer Data Base provide feedback needed to initiate 
quality improvement studies which ultimately lead to im-
plementation of quality improvements in accredited pro-
grams; 
Whereas the Commission on Cancer uses data submitted to 
verify and improve quality of care in cancer programs 
and to further scientific research; and 
Whereas the approximately 1,500 CoC-accredited hospitals in 
the United States and Puerto Rico care for approxi-
mately 70 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients in 
the United States: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog-
nizes the importance of accreditation by the American Col-
lege of Surgeons Commission on Cancer for the purpose 
of assuring patient access to high quality, comprehensive 
cancer care. 
Æ 
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