MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The WVU Cancer Institute has demonstrated compliance with the standards of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Accreditation Program for Excellence (APEx®) and has become the first Radiation Oncology Department in the state to receive four-year accreditation.
APEx is an independent radiation oncology practice accreditation program that was developed by ASTRO to support quality improvement and safety in radiation therapy and patient care.
“We are pleased to receive APEx accreditation from the largest radiation oncology society in the world,” Geraldine Jacobson, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., chair of the WVU Department of Radiation Oncology, said. “Evaluating our processes in relation to ASTRO’s high standards, particularly for safety and quality, validates our practices and recognizes the efforts of our radiation oncology team to deliver patient-centered cancer care.”
Accreditation through APEx is a rigorous, voluntary, multi-step process during which a center’s policies and procedures are evaluated using consensus-based standards for radiation oncology practice. The center must demonstrate its commitment to high standards of safety and quality and show that it practices patient-centered care by promoting effective communication, coordinating treatment and engaging patients and their families as partners in care.
APEx has a distinctive structure that includes a self-assessment process as well as a facility visit conducted by a radiation oncologist and a medical physicist. The program reflects the competencies and practices endorsed in the ASTRO publication, “Safety is no accident: A framework for quality radiation oncology and care.”
“ASTRO commends the WVU Cancer Institute for achieving APEx accreditation. It has demonstrated a commitment to providing patients with safe, high-quality radiation oncology services,” Paul Harari, M.D., chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors, said.
As of November 2018, more than 90 facilities have received accreditation through APEx to promote and facilitate a culture of safety. Read more about APEx on the ASTRO website at www.astro.org/Daily-Practice/Accreditation.
For more information on the WVU Cancer Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Cancer.