photo by: Chris Conde

LMH Health is pictured in a file photo from October 2018.

Lawrence’s hospital announced Tuesday that it has received accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons that recognizes institutions that demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach to treating different types of cancer.

LMH Health said it received the accreditation after a two-year survey process that monitored protocols, treatments and outcomes in LMH Health’s cancer care units. Eleven other hospitals in Kansas have accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, or CoC, according to a news release from the hospital.

“There has always been a fantastic team providing care to cancer patients in Lawrence Kansas, but this represents a major milestone for our hospital,” Chad Tate, a LMH Health surgeon and chairman of the cancer committee that sought accreditation, said in the release. “This accreditation provides tremendous resources for our cancer patients and their providers. It also demands that we continue to meet rigorous quality standards for our care.”

According to the release, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 70% of cancer patients are treated at CoC-accredited facilities, but only 25% of all American hospitals have that accreditation. LMH Health was granted accreditation through 2024.

As a CoC-accredited facility, LMH Health said it will contribute to and examine data from the National Cancer Database, which is a joint program of the CoC and the American Cancer Society. The National Cancer Database tracks all types of cancer, and data from it is used to explore trends in cancer care.

“This accreditation took a combination of vision, commitment and willingness to put in the detailed work required,” Russ Johnson, president and CEO of LMH Health, said in the release. “These are hallmarks of a great organization, and I am proud of all those involved in this exceptional team and what their work means for cancer patients in our community.”