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Dominican Hospital Earns National Accreditation from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons

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A multidisciplinary, holistic approach to treating cancer results in improved patient care

SANTA CRUZ, CA (September 6, 2017) – The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACOS) has again granted a three-year accreditation to the Dignity Health Dominican Hospital cancer program. Dominican Hospital is the only cancer program in Santa Cruz County to receive this designation, which is given to only 30 percent of hospitals nationwide.

“This accreditation represents a true team effort by everyone associated with providing cancer care at Dominican,” said Dominican Hospital President Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. “It is a testament to the dedication of our leaders, physicians, and staff, who work together seamlessly to help anyone diagnosed with cancer get access to the best possible treatment and support.”

Dominican Hospital takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, cancer specialists, and other health professionals. The Cancer Center will soon integrate the new Dominican Zen program, which is designed to increase comfort, reduce stress, and promote healing for patients through guided meditation, aromatherapy, and sound therapy. Additionally, the Cancer Center will soon offer infusion patients complimentary hand and foot massages while they receive treatment.

“Our multidisciplinary, holistic approach results in improved patient comfort and care,” said Kathy Finnigan, RN, manager of Outpatient Oncology Services at Dominican Hospital. “We are dedicated to improving outcomes and proud to offer patients a full range of advanced services based on nationally established standards of care for quality cancer treatment.”

When patients receive care at Dominican, they also have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, and patient-centered services including psycho-social support, a patient navigation process, and a survivorship care plan that documents the care each patient receives and seeks to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.

Dominican maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. This nationwide oncology outcomes database is the largest clinical disease registry in the world. Data on all types of cancer are tracked and analyzed through the NCDB and used to explore trends in cancer care. CoC-accredited cancer centers, in turn, have access to information derived from this type of data analysis, which is used to create national, regional, and state benchmark reports. These reports help Dominican with quality improvement efforts.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.6 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2016. CoC-accredited facilities diagnose and/or treat more than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients. When cancer patients choose to seek care locally at a CoC-accredited cancer center, they are gaining access to comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer care close to home. The CoC provides the public with information on the resources, services, and cancer treatment experience for each CoC accredited cancer program through the CoC Hospital Locator at facs.org/quality-programs/cancer.

For more information about cancer care at Dominican Hospital, please call (831) 462-7770.

About Dominican Hospital

Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has been caring for the Santa Cruz County community for 75 years. Dominican offers emergency services and is a Certified Stroke Center. Dominican’s services include the only comprehensive Cancer Center in Santa Cruz County, a Total Joint Replacement program, advanced neurological and endoscopic services, and an expert heart and vascular team treating some of the most complex cardiac cases in the Monterey Bay area. Dominican has received national recognition for superior patient safety, cardiac care, and stroke treatment from Healthgrades, a leading provider of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Dominican also has received several awards for environmental excellence.

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Publish date: 

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

Media Contact


Christine McMurry, Director of External Communications

p: (415) 250-4440

[email protected]