[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 566--RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS COMMISSION ON CANCER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF 
  COMMISSION ON CANCER-ACCREDITED PROGRAMS IN ENSURING COMPREHENSIVE, 
               HIGH-QUALITY, PATIENT-CENTERED CANCER CARE

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself and Mr. Marshall) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 566

       Whereas the Commission on Cancer was established by the 
     American College of Surgeons in 1922 as a consortium of 
     professional organizations dedicated to improving survival 
     rates and quality of life for cancer patients through 
     standard setting, which promotes cancer prevention, research, 
     education, and monitoring of comprehensive quality care;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer is comprised of 
     individuals and representatives of more than 50 cancer-
     related organizations;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer establishes standards to 
     ensure quality, multidisciplinary, and comprehensive cancer 
     care delivery in health care settings;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer conducts surveys in health 
     care settings to assess compliance with those standards;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer collects standardized data 
     from Commission on Cancer-accredited health care settings to 
     measure cancer care quality;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer uses data to monitor 
     treatment patterns and outcomes, and enhance cancer control 
     and clinical surveillance activities;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer develops effective 
     educational interventions to improve cancer prevention, early 
     detection, cancer care delivery, and outcomes in health care 
     settings;
       Whereas the Commission on Cancer has accredited more than 
     1,500 cancer programs in the United States and the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
       Whereas accreditation from the American College of Surgeons 
     is a voluntary commitment by a cancer program that ensures 
     patients will have access to the full scope of services 
     required to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate, and support 
     patients with cancer and their families;
       Whereas accreditation allows cancer programs to continually 
     evaluate performance and take proactive, corrective actions 
     when necessary;
       Whereas continuous evaluation reaffirms the commitment of 
     the cancer program to provide high-quality, patient-centered 
     cancer care;
       Whereas accreditation is regarded as important in improving 
     oncologic outcomes through compliance with standards that 
     include continuous quality improvement;
       Whereas quality standards required for accreditation ensure 
     that patients receive comprehensive care with a 
     multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best 
     available treatment options;
       Whereas patients treated by accredited cancer programs 
     receive information about ongoing cancer clinical trials and 
     new treatment options and access to a cancer database that 
     offers lifelong patient follow-up;
       Whereas accreditation promotes access to prevention and 
     early detection programs, cancer education, and support 
     services;
       Whereas patients treated in accredited cancer programs have 
     access to the full continuum of patient-centered care, 
     including distress screening, patient navigation, and 
     delivery of survivorship care plans that detail treatments 
     received and provide detailed information on future care 
     needs;
       Whereas accreditation requires evaluation of the entire 
     scope, organization, and activity of a cancer program by 
     external peer review from specially trained surveyors who 
     evaluate compliance with stringent standards designed to 
     promote high-quality care;
       Whereas the quality reporting tools from the over 
     30,000,000 cases reported to the Commission on Cancer's 
     National Cancer Database provide feedback needed to initiate 
     quality improvement studies, which ultimately lead to 
     implementation of quality improvements in accredited cancer 
     programs;
       Whereas the cancer accreditation programs of the American 
     College of Surgeons use data submitted to such Database to 
     verify and improve quality of care in cancer programs and to 
     further scientific research; and
       Whereas the American College of Surgeons accredited cancer 
     programs in the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto 
     Rico care for approximately 70 percent of newly diagnosed 
     cancer patients in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes the 100th anniversary 
     of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and 
     the importance of Commission on Cancer-accredited programs in 
     ensuring comprehensive, high-quality, patient-centered cancer 
     care.

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