Cancer

Vassar Brothers Medical Center achieves notable accreditation for its rectal cancer program

Members of the rectal cancer care team at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. (Left to Right) James Nitzkorski, MD, Surgical Oncology; David Quinn, MD, Pathology; Pranat Kumar, MD, Colorectal Surgery; Julia Halligan, RN OCN, Cancer Institute Accreditation Specialist; John Choi, MD, General and Colorectal Surgery; Ryan McKnight, MD, Pathology Credit: Nuvance Health

11/10/2023

Vassar Brothers Medical Center has one of the only programs in the Hudson Valley accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer.

 

Vassar Brothers Medical Center has earned its initial three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. NAPRC only grants accreditation to programs that are committed to providing the best possible care to people with rectal cancer. Nuvance Health’s Cancer Institute at Vassar Brothers Medical Center is one of the only programs in the Hudson Valley that has achieved this recognition.

 

“Vassar Brothers Medical Center has achieved rigorous benchmarks for delivering high-quality care for people with rectal cancer,” said Dr. Pranat Kumar, colorectal surgeon and director of the rectal cancer program at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. “We are fortunate to have a dedicated, multispecialty team that collaborates to meet NAPRC’s standards for cancer care.”

  

“We are proud to share this achievement with the communities we serve in the Hudson Valley; they can feel secure knowing they have access to excellent care if they or a loved one has rectal cancer,” Dr. Kumar said.

  

  

“This outstanding achievement is a testament to our multidisciplinary team’s dedication to providing the highest caliber of cancer care. We consistently deliver preeminent quality, patient-centered cancer services with compassion right here in the Hudson Valley,” said Dr. Adam Boruchov, senior vice president and system chair of the Nuvance Health Cancer Institute.

  

NAPRC provides the structure and resources to develop and operate a high-quality rectal cancer program and ensure multispecialty, integrated and comprehensive services. Vassar Brothers Medical Center achieved NAPRC accreditation by following this structure and demonstrating clinical, imaging, testing and operational quality standards.

  

Clinical standards include having a team of rectal cancer specialists caring for people including surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists — all available at The Dyson Center for Cancer Care, part of Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Nuvance Health.

 

“This accreditation acknowledges the excellent physician, nursing and supportive care teams that people have access to in their community,” said Linda Versea, vice president of the Nuvance Health Cancer Institute.

 

The Dyson Center for Cancer Care also offers vital services including colorectal cancer nurse navigators, dietitians and certified oncology nutritionists, therapists, social workers and complementary medicine.

 

Norwalk Hospital, part of Nuvance Health, also has National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer status.