Choosing a Hospital for Cancer Care
If the doctor you choose for your cancer care practices at more than one hospital, you may have to decide where you want to be treated. Or, you may first decide to choose a hospital, based on its reputation for providing high quality cancer care, and then select a physician who practices there.
When choosing among hospitals for cancer care, you should ask the following questions:
Is the hospital accredited by The Joint Commission?
The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits nearly 20,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States.
The Joint Commission offers an online Quality Check service that patients can use to determine whether The Joint Commission has accredited a specific facility, as well as to view the organization's performance reports.
Is the hospital approved as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) cancer center?
Certain institutions are designated "cancer centers" by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI confers this designation after a rigorous review process that focuses on the institution's research programs. Centers with particularly broad research programs are designated "comprehensive cancer centers;" others that have more focused research programs in association with clinical care services are termed "clinical" cancer centers. Institutions carrying either of these NCI designations generally have strong programs in clinical care. The NCI Web site provides a list of these cancer centers along with links to their Web sites and contact information for each institution.
Visit NCI's web site.
Does the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons approve the hospital's cancer diagnosis and treatment program?
The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons is comprised of members from 30 medical professional organizations who set guidelines for cancer diagnosis and care. Although hospitals with approved Commission on Cancer programs represent 20 percent of hospitals in the United States, they treat more than 70 percent of cancer patients. The American College of Surgeons designated more than 1,400 programs in the United States as Approved Cancer Programs.
The American Cancer Society offers a searchable database of these programs on their web site.
What is the hospital's expertise in treating your particular condition?
As it is important to choose a physician with experience in treating your specific cancer, it is also just as important to choose a hospital that has experience. Some states prepare reports showing surgery volume of specific medical procedures for individual hospitals and doctors.
Does the hospital offer the full range of services needed for the diagnosis and treatment of your cancer?
Does the hospital have the following services:
- A pathology lab, diagnostic lab, and blood bank
- 24-hour physician staffing
- A tumor board
- Social services department
- Respiratory therapies, physical therapists, and rehabilitation services
- Advanced diagnostic equipment (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), positive electron tomography (PET), etc.)
- Advanced therapeutic equipment (radiation therapy, laser treatments, etc.)
- An intensive care unit (ICU)
- Emergency room
- Anesthesiologists
Other Hospital Questions to Consider:
- Does the hospital conduct research into the cause and treatment of your illness and does it offer patients the opportunity to participate in relevant clinical trials?
- Does the hospital provide support services to assist you and your family in dealing with the emotional consequences of your illness?
- Is the hospital financially stable with the resources to provide adequate equipment and staff (ie. a sufficient number of registered nurses) at a clean, modern facility?
- How important to you is the geographic accessibility of the hospital?
- Does the hospital accept your health insurance plan?
