Atlantic General Hospital's John H. 'Jack' Burbage, Jr. Regional Cancer Care Center Earns National Accreditation

The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), has granted Three-Year Accreditation to the John H. ‘Jack’ Burbage, Jr. Regional Cancer Care Center at Atlantic General Hospital. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through an extensive survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.

Because it is a CoC-accredited cancer center, the Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center 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, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary partnership results in improved patient care.

“Seeking cancer treatment locally is typically the best option for patients because it allows them to avoid the physical, emotional and financial hardships that can come with long-distance travel to a cancer center. This re-accreditation shows that our community can trust the care we provide here at the Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center,” said center director Chanelle Lake. “And, it’s a testament to the good work that our dedicated staff do every day.”

The Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center has held CoC accreditation since 2018.

The CoC Accreditation Program provides the framework for the Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center to continuously improve its quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs that focus on the full spectrum of cancer care including prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, life-long follow-up for recurrent disease, and end-of-life care. When patients receive care at a CoC facility, they also have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, 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.

Like all CoC-accredited facilities, the Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center 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 CoC facilities with their quality improvement efforts.

CoC-accredited facilities diagnose and/or treat more than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed patients with cancer. When 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.

About the John H. ‘Jack’ Burbage, Jr. Regional Cancer Care Center

The Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center, located on Atlantic General Hospital’s campus in Berlin, Md., provides one centrally-located, convenient facility for the care and treatment of individuals with cancer and blood disorders.

In addition to medical oncology, chemotherapy infusion services and immunotherapy, the center offers the latest in radiation oncology treatment; PET/CT imaging; laboratory services; genetic counseling; community education and support facilities; and telemedicine technology that allow patients and their physicians to consult with other cancer care experts at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, preventing unnecessary travel for consultation and follow up care for patients who may require more intensive cancer care services.

About Atlantic General Hospital

Atlantic General Hospital has been providing quality health care to the residents of Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset (Md.) and Sussex (Del.) counties since May 1993. Built by the commitment and generosity of a dedicated community, the hospital’s state-of-the-art facility in Berlin, Md. combines compassion and expertise with the latest in technology and services. Atlantic General Health System, its network of more than 25 primary care provider and specialist offices, care for residents and visitors throughout the region. For more information about Atlantic General Hospital, visit www.atlanticgeneral.org.

About the Commission on Cancer

Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, visit: www.facs.org/cancer