3/8/2016

UPMC CancerCenter has received re-accreditation by the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO), maintaining its position as the largest comprehensive cancer network in the country to be accredited in radiation oncology. Two of UPMC CancerCenter’s newer network sites, UPMC Altoona and Butler Radiation Oncology centers, each received accreditation for the first time.

“This three-year accreditation recognizes the high-quality radiation oncology care that our facilities provide to the patients in our communities each day,” said Dwight E. Heron, M.D., director of radiation oncology services at UPMC CancerCenter, partner with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. “This accreditation exemplifies our ongoing commitment and the focused effort of our staff to exceed national quality standards set forth by our professional peers. I am extremely proud of our outcomes.”

ACRO is the premier national organization dedicated to radiation oncology, and its validation confirms that UPMC CancerCenter delivers the highest-quality care to its patients. The lengthy and in-depth accreditation process included a thorough review of patient charts, technology, staff certifications and documentation of processes for each radiation oncology site, among other factors, followed by ACRO’s visits to each site to survey day-to-day operations.

At its treatment locations in western Pennsylvania, UPMC CancerCenter uses a variety of cutting-edge techniques to provide care for the approximately 7,000 cancer patients undergoing radiation at UPMC every year. These include external beam radiotherapy, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and 3-D conformal radiation therapy; stereotactic radiosurgery using the GammaKnife, CyberKnife and TrueBeam technologies, among others; and brachytherapy.

ACRO developed its voluntary accreditation program to help promote the highest standards for radiation oncology.