Specialty Groups — Oncology
American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACOS-CoC) Liaison Report
Surveys for pediatric programs and NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers that were due during 2005 were delayed until the customized standards are released. Some VA programs also chose to delay their surveys. The implementation plans for the customized standards are moving along an organized parallel track that will allow for surveys to resume no later than June 2006.
Significant implementation timeframes are as follows: Final draft of customized standards will be emailed to currently approved VA and NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers on September 23rd. Revised SAR for VA, pediatric and NCI programs will be available online November 1st. The published standards will be made available to all approved programs on December 1st.
For further information on the revision of standards refer to the Commission on Cancers web site at www.facs.org.
Both products are also available in Spanish, and multiple copies can be purchased from the CoC. To find out more on these helpful educational tools, log on to www.facs.org
The ACoS-CoC Report was prepared by ACOA/ACoS-CoC liaison, Jeannie O’Leary. Her role as liaison is to enhance our relationship and collaboration by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, initiatives, critical issues, and actions that impact cancer care, data collection, and research. We have the opportunity to bring matters of importance for ACOA to the CoC, as well as communicate CoC activities to the ACOA. If you have input on particular issues regarding credentialing and ACoS standards, please contact Jeannie O’Leary.