The Blessing Cancer Center’s Radiation Oncology Department has earned reaccreditation from The American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO), making it one of only six in the three-state region of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa to hold the accreditation.
The department undergoes the reaccreditation process every three years and has held accreditation continuously since 2001.
ACRO ensures the highest quality care for radiation therapy patients and promotes success in the practice of Radiation Oncology. Accreditation is a voluntary process in which professional peers identify standards indicative of a quality practice, and an audit is conducted to assure that these standards are followed.
Blessing Hospital's Radiation Oncology Department is led by two board-certified radiation oncologists. The physicians work full-time at Blessing and are on-site daily to oversee the radiation treatments of each cancer patient. They are assisted by a highly-trained team including a medical physicist and two dosimetrists as well as an experienced staff of radiation therapists and nurses.
“Blessing’s Radiation Oncology Department is the only radiation oncology provider in a 150-mile radius to be accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology,” stated Mark Khil, MD, board certified radiation oncologist and Medical Director, Radiation Oncology, Blessing Hospital. As of the date of Blessing’s reaccreditation, only three facilities in Illinois were ACRO accredited.
“ACRO accreditation is a credit to every member of our team and a testament to their commitment to delivering the safest, most effective radiation oncology possible to every patient,” Rob Johnson, MD, board certified radiation oncologist, Blessing Hospital, concluded.
The department delivers treatment using a TrueBeam STx linear accelerator, the most advanced system available. It uses enhanced, real-time imaging tools so the physicians can see the tumor more clearly and observe its movement during treatment. The technology allows for more precise and concise treatments which include image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Other treatment options the department offers include superficial therapy for skin cancers and real time precision prostate brachytherapy for prostate cancer.