The University of Toledo Medical Center is being lauded for providing quality care to cancer patients.

UTMC was recently presented with the 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

UTMC is one of a select group of only 20 U.S. health care facilities with accredited cancer programs to receive this national honor for surveys performed Jan. 1 to June 30. The award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top cancer centers in the United States,” said Allen Seifert, administrative director of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. “We take immense pride in offering life-saving care because our patients and their treatment and recovery is always our No. 1 priority.”

The purpose of the award is to raise awareness on the importance of providing quality cancer care at health care institutions throughout the U.S. In addition, it is intended to:

• Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care;
• Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices;
• Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs; and
• Educate cancer patients on available quality-care options.

Seifert said UTMC specializes in treating a variety of cancers that include blood cancer, lung and respiratory cancer, breast cancer, urinary system cancer and prostate cancer, among others.

UTMC is the only hospital in town offering an innovative non-invasive radiosurgery treatment option using the latest technology.

The Edge radiosurgery system can destroy tumors — smaller than half a centimeter — with high doses of focused radiation beams. The high-dose radiation can target difficult-to-reach tumors, such as those in the brain, with better precision radiation treatments that can be just 15 minutes, compared to one hour for other types of radiation therapy.

“Our 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award solidifies our standing as one of the top cancer centers, but it doesn’t mean we are going to stop improving,” Seifert said. “We always strive to provide the highest level of cancer diagnosis, treatment and support.”

Tags: The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC)