Cancer Program Earns Reaccreditation From the Commission on Cancer

Jan 26, 2023

3 min

Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D.

Report cited zero deficiencies and highlights leadership, innovative programs and strong research program


The Commission on Cancer, a quality program of the American College of Surgeons, has granted three-year reaccreditation to the cancer program at ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, one of the original National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program sites in the U.S. ChristianaCare has received accreditation since 1951.


To earn accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.


The Commission cited zero deficiencies during its site visit and in its final report.



“Earning this prestigious accreditation with no deficiencies cited is a testament to the unparalleled expertise and quality of care our entire team at the Graham Cancer Center provides to our patients and community across the continuum of cancer care,” said Nicholas Petrelli, M.D., Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute. “Patients in the communities we are privileged to serve can be assured of groundbreaking cancer treatments, innovative technology, state-of-the-art research, prevention, education and the most caring, dedicated team anywhere.”


“Innovative programs that address community need”


The Graham Cancer Center was recognized in the reaccreditation report for taking 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 exceptional patient care.


In its performance report, the Commission on Cancer praised the Graham Cancer Center’s leadership that has built a “culture of continual process improvement across all areas from prevention, screening, treatment and support for the patient.”


It highlighted “innovative programs that address community need,” such as its on-site primary care practice and its Oncology Express Unit, which offers urgent care for patients with advanced disease.


The report also stated that the “research trial offerings are a strong point.” Clinical trials test new drugs and combinations of treatments, as well as new techniques using surgery, radiation therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy and biologics. ChristianaCare is among the national leaders in cancer clinical trials; patient enrollment rates into clinical trials at the Graham Cancer Center are at 29% which is seven times the national average.


A national standard for accreditation


The Commission on Cancer accreditation program provides the framework for the Graham Cancer Center to 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 Commission on Cancer-accredited 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 Commission on Cancer-accredited facilities, the Graham Cancer Center maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Database, a joint program of the Commission on Cancer and American Cancer Society. This nationwide oncology outcomes database is the largest clinical disease registry in the world. Data on all types of cancer is tracked and analyzed through the database and used to explore trends in cancer care. 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 facilities with their quality improvement efforts.


Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for patients with cancer through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. There are currently more than 1,500 Commission on Cancer-accredited programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico that diagnose and treat more than 70% of all patients newly diagnosed with cancer.


Connect with:
Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D.

Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D.

Bank of America Endowed Medical Director, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute

Nicholas J. Petrelli is a nationally recognized expert on cancer.

Colorectal CancerCancer Care ManagementCancer DetectionCancer clinical trialsSurgical Oncology

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from ChristianaCare

3 min

ChristianaCare Reduces Health Care Costs by $6.2 Million While Improving Care for Medicaid Patients

ChristianaCare’s Delaware Medicaid Partners Accountable Care Organization (ACO) has set the standard for innovative, high-quality care at lower cost for the State of Delaware’s Medicaid population. According to the most recent data available, ChristianaCare’s ACO reduced health care spending by $6.2 million in 2023 while improving care for nearly 30,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in Delaware, including approximately 8,000 children. “We’re demonstrating that population health works,” said Christine Donohue-Henry, M.D., MBA, chief population health officer, ChristianaCare. “Our neighbors count on us to take care of them — and we can improve their health while also helping the state reduce health care costs. We do this by delivering high-quality care that emphasizes preventive care and proactive management of health conditions, and by investing in our population health infrastructure. “In this way, we can keep people healthier and reduce the need for them to access the most expensive kinds of care, such as emergency care and hospitalization.” ChristianaCare’s Medicaid ACO includes more than 1,900 primary and specialty care clinicians who partner with patients and families to prevent illness, manage chronic diseases and help them achieve their health goals. The ACO makes it easy for adults and children to get the screenings and treatments they need, improving overall health. ChristianaCare’s Medicaid ACO is one of four authorized by the State of Delaware and the only one to voluntarily accept downside financial risk at its launch in 2021, which means that if ChristianaCare’s Medicaid ACO is not successful in reducing cost and improving care for a particular year, the ChristianaCare ACO is required to make a payment to the state. By sharing in both savings and losses, the ACO controls state health care costs while maintaining high-quality care. Bending the Cost Curve by Focusing on High-Quality Preventive Care Alongside financial savings, ChristianaCare’s Medicaid ACO has improved care quality and worked to reduce health disparities. By focusing on preventive care, the ACO has helped adults and children get the screenings and treatment they need, leading to better health outcomes and fewer unmet needs. Since launching in 2021, ChristianaCare’s ACO has met all required quality standards and consistently improved its performance each year on key measures like diabetes management, blood pressure control and breast cancer prevention. Year over year, breast cancer screenings have increased by 4%, while patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) have shown improvement in blood pressure control. Notably, healthy blood sugar levels (HbA1c less than 8%) have also improved in patients with diabetes by 7%. In collaboration with its Medicaid health plan partners, ChristianaCare primary care and imaging teams host patient-centered health and wellness day events to increase access to care, close quality gaps and improve the overall health of the communities they serve. These events help patients get preventive screenings and services, supporting the ACO’s goals of better care and health equity. The ACO’s success is driven by its focus on caring for entire families, including addressing the needs of pregnant mothers and supporting children and adults throughout their lives, according to Rose Kakoza, M.D., MPH, senior clinical network director, ChristianaCare Clinical Alliance. Key programs include enhanced maternity care to support mothers and infants, expanded mental health services and social support programs that address food and housing needs. By integrating clinical care with social support — such as help with food and housing — the ACO is working to break cycles of poor health across generations. This approach also has practical benefits. For example, the improved mental health of a parent strengthens the family environment, supporting children’s well-being and development. “By making significant investments in population health and addressing both medical needs and the social drivers of health, we’ve not only improved health outcomes but also more effectively managed costs for Delaware’s most vulnerable residents, helping to reduce state spending,” Kakoza said. About Delaware Medicaid Partners Delaware Medicaid Partners ACO, led by ChristianaCare, uses a family-centered approach to save money and improve care for Medicaid patients. By combining medical care with social support, the ACO addresses the unique needs of Medicaid patients, improving health and promoting equity. Care coordination is provided by ChristianaCare’s CareVio®, whose team of nurses, social workers, and pharmacists help patients with serious health conditions get the care they need. CareVio uses real-time data to prevent complications that could lead to unnecessary hospital stays or emergency visits. Through ongoing collaboration and innovation, Delaware Medicaid Partners ACO aims to set an example for other states working to improve care while managing costs.

2 min

Nona’s Story: HomeHealth Nurse Visit Leads to Life-Saving Care

Elena Gomez, RN, wears the dark blue scrubs of a ChristianaCare nurse, but Nona Lerza sees her as even more. “I call you an angel,” said Lerza, who credits Gomez with saving her life. Gomez, a ChristianaCare HomeHealth case manager, regularly visited Lerza, at her home in Middletown, Delaware, to check her blood pressure after a hospitalization. One day in February, with bad weather on the horizon, Gomez phoned Lerza to see if she could stop by for a check-in. That call – and Gomez’s persistence – turned out to be lifesaving. During her visit, Gomez found Lerza’s blood pressure was high – high enough to warrant emergency care. Lerza wasn’t eager to return to the hospital. But she trusted Gomez, and the strength of that connection convinced Lerza to heed Gomez’s advice and head to the emergency department. After arriving by ambulance, Lerza underwent quadruple bypass surgery at Christiana Hospital. Her cardiology team agreed – Gomez saved her life. Fully recovered, Lerza is now back to living independently in her home. “There aren’t enough words in the dictionary to say all she did for me,” Lerza said. “She closed my house up. She did everything for me that night and I can’t thank her enough. It seems very hollow to say thank you. But if she hadn’t come, I don’t know where I’d be today.” For Gomez – a second generation nurse – working as a HomeHealth nurse gives her the chance to build lasting relationships with patients. “We are here for the community; we are here for our patients; we are here for the families,” she said, “and we will do everything in our power to help them get better.”

2 min

ChristianaCare Caregivers Help Our Neighbors on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

More than 200 ChristianaCare caregivers and their families came together for a systemwide service project on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Jan. 20 to pack supply kits for neighbors in need. Hosted by ChristianaCare’s Office of Inclusion & Diversity, caregivers united in service on our Cecil County, Newark and Wilmington campuses.  These volunteers assembled 3,500 supply kits with essential items like washcloths, dish soap and detergent for individuals transitioning into permanent housing and toiletries, journals and puzzle books for patients in treatment for cancer at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute. The kits also carried inspiration. Caregivers handwrote encouraging messages that were tucked in alongside toiletries and other essentials: “You’ve got this!” “You are stronger than you know.” “This is tough. But so are you!” Other caregivers delivered the inspirations and the kits to the the Graham Cancer Center, the Union Hospital Emergency Department, New Castle County Hope Center, Inc., and other community partners. Natalie Torres, director of Inclusion & Diversity, credited ChristianaCare’s Supply Chain and Transportation departments with making sure toiletries and other supplies were available at the three campus locations and also coordinating the pickup and delivery of donations. “This service project is such a powerful reminder of how our values of love and excellence shine through in everything that we do,” Torres said. “Dr. King truly resonates with who we are as an organization. Serving our community, connecting with one another, making a difference — it’s what we do best — and we are so honored to carry on this tradition in Dr. King’s name.”

View all posts