Nine Intermountain Health Cancer Centers First in Utah to Achieve National Accreditation from American Society for Radiation Oncology for Clinical Excellence

Nine Intermountain Health cancer centers are the first in Utah to earn accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), APEx- Accreditation Program for Excellence – an objective external validation that a radiation oncology facility is delivering high-quality patient care. 

The nine Intermountain cancer centers to earn accreditation are located at: Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital, Intermountain Cedar City Hospital, Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, Intermountain American Fork Hospital, Intermountain Riverton Hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, Intermountain LDS Hospital, Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital, and Intermountain Logan Regional Hospital.

The nine Intermountain cancer centers are among only 200 facilities nationwide to earn APEx accreditation.

The Utah sites join two additional Intermountain Health cancer centers in Colorado to hold this accreditation. Those are Cancer Centers of Colorado at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction, accredited since 2018, and Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, accredited since 2016. 

“The accreditation process is a very rigorous, multi-step process that took more than a year to complete,” said Craig Nielsen, director for radiation oncology at Intermountain Health. “We evaluated all our policies and procedures using objective, evidence-based performance measures in radiation oncology.”

APEx, is a voluntary process during which a radiation oncology practice is evaluated using consensus-based standards. Each cancer center must demonstrate its safety and quality process and show that it adheres to patient-centered care by promoting effective communication, coordinated treatments, and strong patient engagement.

“This accreditation demonstrates to our patients that we are committed to the highest standards of safety and quality in the practice of radiation oncology,” said Nielsen. “Patients receiving treatment at our centers can be assured they will receive the highest quality care and that our team will work closely with them as partners in their care.” 
With less than 5% of cancer centers in the United States currently accredited, this is a unique and prestigious honor. 

“We know that getting a cancer diagnosis can be one of the most difficult times for our patients,” Nielsen added. “It’s because of our patients and their families that our team has worked so diligently to earn this recognition and accreditation,” said Nielsen.

The national accreditation also recognizes that patients being treated at an Intermountain accredited facility have access to the most advanced cancer care that is delivered with compassion and coordination in a personalized approach from a specialized multidisciplinary team. 

“ASTRO commends Intermountain Health’s cancer centers for achieving APEx accreditation,” said Laura A. Dawson, MD, chair of the ASTRO board of directors. “By undergoing this comprehensive review, these facilities demonstrate their strong commitment to delivering safe, high-quality radiation oncology services to their patients.”

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