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Quality Standards

Qualitystandards-graphic2 Breast Cancer The Mercy Cancer Center takes great pride in the care we deliver. To monitor the quality of that care, we track specific quality measures and compare them to benchmark measures. We think consumers have the right to know this information so you can draw your own conclusions regarding your health care choices. Quality data can be confusing so Mercy Cancer Center is taking the initiative to publish this information in an understandable format. We invite you to review this information and please call us if you have questions. We are committed to providing the very highest quality cancer care. Breast cancer quality data is the first to be published. Please refer back to our web site in the coming months to see quality data for other cancer diagnoses. Breast Cancer Quality Data Mammography MQSA Certification 5-Year Breast Cancer Survival Rate Percentage of Early Stage Breast Cancer Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy Breast Conservation Surgery Radiation Treatment with Breast Conservation Surgery Mammography MQSA Certification When you have a mammogram, you want to be confident that your healthcare facility is certified and meets the highest standards for personnel qualifications, equipment, radiation dose, quality assurance programs, recordkeeping and reporting. Congress enacted the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) to ensure women have access to quality mammography services. To become MQSA certified, mammography facilities must employ only registered mammography technologists and undergo a thorough annual inspection conducted by federally trained and certified State surveyors who review over 50 quality indicators. Mercy National % Annual Inspections with No MQSA Violations 100%* 76.4% 100% at all Mercy locations: Main Campus, North Canton, Jackson, Louisville, Carrollton 5-Year Breast Cancer Survival Rate Overall survival from breast cancer is the most important goal. Survival is tied to the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis. Five-year survival rate (the percentage of women who are still alive five years after diagnosis) is the standard measurement that is used to express the outlook for your disease. The cancer stage - noted as a number from 0 to IV - is based on the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The lower the number, the less disease. It is important to remember that these survival rates are based on averages. Some women with advanced breast cancer live significantly longer than seven years and researchers are constantly developing new treatment alternatives to prolong breast cancer survival. Mercy National Combined Stage 0-II 87.4% 87.1% Combined Stage III-IV 40.9% 42.9% Combined All Stages 82.7% 82.3% Source: CIRF Cancer Registry Reported to National Cancer Database Percentage of Early Stage Breast Cancer Because disease stage at diagnosis significantly influences survival, it is critical to diagnose breast cancers as early as possible. Mercy Cancer Center tracks the percentage of breast cancers diagnosed at Stage 0 through II which offer women the greatest advantage of long-term survival. Mercy National % of Breast Cancers Diagnosed at Stage 0-II 91.4% 83.2% Source: CIRF Cancer Registry Reported to National Cancer Database Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy Minimally invasive breast biopsy involves taking a core of breast tissue rather than performing an incision to remove a breast tissue sample. Research shows that conventional surgical biopsies present certain disadvantages including prolonged time to diagnosis, breast scarring, increased pain for the patient and substantially higher costs than the minimally invasive options. It is important to note that not all breast lesions can be biopsied by minimally invasive techniques, but it is a biopsy technique that should be considered when appropriate. Mercy National % of Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsies 75.6% 65% Source: CIRF Cancer Registry Reported to National Cancer Database Breast Conservation Surgery The National Institutes of Health has recommended breast conservation surgery (lumpectomy) rather than mastectomy for the majority of women with early stage, invasive breast cancer. Lumpectomy decreases the potential for adverse effects from surgery and minimizes physical alterations. More importantly, studies have proven that long-term survival is no different. Despite these facts, some women still opt for mastectomy. Mercy National % Breast Conservation Surgery 65.8% 65% Source: CIRF Cancer Registry and Oncology Roundtable Survey Radiation Treatment with Breast Conservation Surgery The purpose of breast conservation therapy is to give women the same cure rate they would have if they were treated with a mastectomy but to leave the breast intact, with an appearance and texture as close as possible to what they had before treatment. Breast conservation surgery (lumpectomy) is almost always followed by radiation therapy. The purpose of the radiation treatment is to decrease the recurrence of breast cancer in the remaining breast tissue. Years of clinical study have proven that breast conservation therapy offers the same cure rate as mastectomy. Mercy National % Patients with Breast Conserving Surgery that Received Radiation 93.4% 85.0% Source: CIRF Cancer Registry and NCCN 9th Annual Conference Other Measures of Quality The mark of excellence can also be defined by other important quality indicators that are not demonstrated through statistics. Mercy Cancer Center is committed to excellence in cancer care as evidenced by: Three-year accreditation with accommodation as a Comprehensive Community Hospital Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer Timely and accurate submission of all patient data to the National Cancer Data Base Accreditation of Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Services by the American College of Radiology Bi-weekly multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Conferences Weekly multidisciplinary Tumor Conferences Mercy Medical Center Medical Staff comprised of 94% Board Certified Physicians

Mercy Cancer Center

Footer2 MEETS OR EXCEEDS STATE & NATIONAL STANDARDS As Featured in M.D. News. Click to view article. Overview of Cancer Center Mercy Cancer Center has been accredited since 1986 as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. In 2008 CoC awarded Mercy Cancer Center the Outstanding Achievement Award for excellence in cancer care. Mercy is the only area hospitaland one of just 95 facilities nationwideto earn the award, along with the CoC¹s three-year re-accreditation with commendation. Fewer than 20 percent of cancer programs in the United States attain this superior recognition. This earmark of quality ensures patients will receive the very best comprehensive cancer care without ever leaving Stark County. At the Mercy Cancer Center, we believe that to be truly effective, we must be comprehensive in our approach to the treatment of cancer. We are committed to offering the very best possible care and outcomes for the patients and families we serve. Our goal is to make it easier for you if we can. Treating approximately 700 new cancer patients every year, the Mercy Cancer Center offers state-of-the-art diagnostics and surgical facilities, innovative treatments with chemotherapy and radiation, national cancer research trials and the latest in cancer information. But what sets us apart from other providers is our holistic approach to cancer care. At the Mercy Cancer Center, we strive to take care of the whole person and not just their cancer. That means we start with progressive and technologically advanced treatment and then surround you with nurturing and supportive services to help you throughout your cancer journey. We invite you to learn more about our services, physicians and staff by viewing the various sections of our website. More than ever before, the Mercy Cancer Center is dedicated to providing the very best in cancer care and we are proud to serve our community and region. Mercy Medical Center Info Mercy Medical Center, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, operates a 476-bed hospital serving Stark, Carroll, Wayne, Holmes and Tuscarawas Counties and parts of Southeastern Ohio. It has 620 members on its Medical Staff and employs 2,500 people. Mercy operates outpatient health centers in Carrollton, Jackson Township, Lake Township, Louisville, North Canton, Plain Township and Tuscarawas County. A Catholic hospital, Mercy Medical Center upholds the mission and philosophy of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and continues to be responsive to the needs of the community. Mercy Medical Center is a Catholic hospital which upholds all Catholic faith obligations and the mission and philosophy of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, and continues to be responsive to the needs of the community, including the provision of care to all, regardless of their ability to pay. Hospital Mission As a Catholic health care organization, our mission at Mercy Medical Center is to continue Christ's healing ministry by providing quality, compassionate, accessible and affordable care for the whole person. The Mercy Cancer Center upholds this healing ministry of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine by offering advanced, quality healthcare to those afflicted with cancer. View the 2009 Cancer Center Annual Report (Click here to download the pdf) Click here to download Radiation Therapy brochure (pdf format) Click here to download Mercy Cancer Center brochure (pdf format) Click here to download Breast Care Center brochure (pdf format)

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