Designation signifies higher quality of care for radiology oncology program.

East Jefferson General Hospital is the first facility in the region to earn ACR accreditation from the American College of Radiology (ACR). The accreditation program was established in 1986 as the extension of the Patterns of Care Study (PCS) sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and is administered by the American College of Radiology. ACR accreditation is widely recognized as a benchmark measure of quality care.

"We are extremely honored to be the first in the region to have earned this American College of Radiology accreditation," says Dr. Paul Monsour, EJGH Radiation Oncologist. "For more than a year, they have reviewed our systems, protocols, physicians, technologies and, most importantly, our outcomes in care. Their reviewers found that our program met and exceeded their high standards."

According to the American College of Radiology, the goals of the accreditation program are to provide impartial, third-party peer review; to recognize quality radiation oncology practices through accreditation; to make recommendations for improvement in practice and patient outcomes according to the recognized standards of the scientific community; and to provide a referral list for patients. In addition, the on-site surveyors act as data collectors and submit their findings to the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Practice Accreditation who makes the final recommendations regarding accreditation. This committee is composed of board certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists who undergo special training in order to participate.

The EJGH Radiation Oncology Program includes expert, board-certified clinicians in the field of radiation oncology. EJGH is also a regional leader in treatment and technology, featuring brachytherapy, the Novalis TX and Trilogy Stereotactic Radio Surgery Systems, the latest PET/CT and the latest skin cancer treatment system.

About East Jefferson General Hospital

East Jefferson General Hospital is a publicly-owned, not-for-profit community hospital. This service district hospital, formed in 1965, receives no tax support from Jefferson Parish. The 420-bed hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is Louisiana's first Nurse Magnet hospital and only three-time designated organization. For more information on East Jefferson General Hospital, visit online at www.ejgh.org.