MUHC cancer care teams receive top marks from Quebec Health Ministry

Dr. Arthur T. Porter, Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre, congratulates the MUHC Cancer Care Mission on the exceptional accreditation ratings it earned from Quebec’s Direction de la lutte contre le cancer. After an exhaustive assessment of MUHC cancer care capabilities, this agency of Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services awarded level four status – the highest possible ranking – to 10 MUHC teams. A further two teams achieved level three status.

“These results demonstrate the tireless effort that has been made by our cancer care teams to provide the best, most complete care, for cancer patients from pediatric to adult,” says Dr. Porter. The Cancer Care Mission was created in 2006 and is the seventh and latest MUHC mission, following the six existing missions of medicine, surgery, women’s health, pediatrics, mental health and neurosciences.

“Oncology has become a pillar of MUHC health care and a priority in our future development,” says Dr. Armen Aprikian, Co-Director of the Cancer Care Mission and MUHC Chief of Oncology. “Such outstanding results in the government accreditation system demonstrate the success we have achieved in integrating services and achieving the highest standards of patient care through this new vision.”

In 2004 the Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services created la Direction de la lutte contre le cancer, with the goal of improving access and outcomes for cancer patients by establishing a network of integrated and interdisciplinary teams across the province. Over the past year, 18 teams in the MUHC Cancer Care Mission have been visited and are in the process of evaluation for accreditation. This effort represented the evaluation of the largest number of teams of any organization in the province.

Teams that achieved level four status so far are: breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate and urinary cancer, gynecologic cancer, musculo-skeletal cancer, neuro-oncology, pediatric oncology, radiation-oncology, and cancer genetics (a joint program with the Jewish General Hospital). Head and neck cancer, and cancer nutrition and readaptation teams achieved level three status. The MUHC is awaiting confirmation of the accreditation results of the remaining six teams under evaluation. Results are expected this fall.

The McGill University Health Centre
The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. The goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field and to contribute to the development of new knowledge. www.muhc.ca