December 10, 2008 - The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recently formed a new partnership for radiation oncology practice accreditation that builds on the ACR’s current program that has served as the industry standard for more than 20 years.
As a result of this collaboration, radiation oncology programs will have expanded access to the process of both self-assessment and independent external expert audit, based on nationally recognized guidelines, including ACR and ASTRO guidelines and technical standards. These standards assess the qualifications of personnel, policies and procedures, equipment specifications, quality assurance (QA) activities, patient safety and ultimately the quality of patient care.
During the review, the facility’s personnel, equipment, treatment planning and treatment records, and quality control measures will be measured and evaluated. This process is designed to be educational in nature and promote quality among radiation oncology facilities. The joint accreditation program presents an opportunity for radiation oncology facilities to demonstrate to their communities, patients, payers and referring physicians that they are committed to providing the highest quality care.
“Quality is extremely important for our members as they strive to provide cancer patients and their families with superior treatments to cure their disease. It is also becoming increasingly clear that accreditation programs like this will become more necessary for cancer programs as they strive to demonstrate quality to both patients and payors,” said Laura I. Thevenot, CEO of ASTRO.
For more information: www.astro.org
July 31, 2024 
