News Room - Press Releases

News Release
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Lynne Zultanky,
Director Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Office:  757-889-5413
Pager: 757-680-3296
lynn_zultanky@bshsi.com

(Portsmouth, Va. – June 12, 2006) – Eugene Chang, MD, of Portsmouth, Va., recently received a three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician for the cancer program at Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center.  Cancer Liaison Physicians are an integral part of cancer programs approved by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC).

Dr. Chang is among a national network of over 1,600 volunteer physicians who are responsible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain, and support their facilities’ cancer program.  Dr. Chang, who has a significant interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, is a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at Maryview Medical Center, an institution that is dedicated to facilitating the delivery of comprehensive quality cancer care.

Cancer Liaison Physicians are responsible for spearheading CoC initiatives with their cancer program; collaborating with local agencies, such as the American Cancer Society; and facilitating quality improvement initiatives, utilizing data submitted to the CoC’s National Cancer Database (NCDB). 

Data received from the 1,400+ CoC-approved cancer programs are compiled and reported back to the individual facilities to analyze patterns of care and address gaps in cancer care.  The NCDB currently contains patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and outcomes information for over 17 million malignant cancers diagnosed and treated at hospital cancer programs in the United States between 1985 and 2003.  These data account for approximately two-thirds of newly diagnosed cancers in the US each year.  The Cancer Liaison Physician works with the cancer program staff to facilitate the submission, presentation, use, and interpretation of reports.  Analyzing and sharing these data with the cancer committee can have a positive impact on cancer patient care at the facility.

In an effort to assist the more than 1.3 million Americans diagnosed with cancer each year, Cancer Liaison Physicians at CoC-approved programs also facilitate participation in the Commission’s Facility Information Profile System (FIPS).  FIPS is a data-sharing activity of the CoC and the American Cancer Society (ACS), which provides the public with information about resources, services, and annual cancer caseload at CoC-approved facilities.  These data are shared with the public through the ACS National Cancer Information Center and Web site at 1-800-ACS-2345/www.cancer.org (.)

The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving the survival and quality of life for Cancer patients.  The Commission achieves its goal through standard-setting, cancer prevention, research, and educational activities, as well as monitoring comprehensive quality care.  Its membership includes 40 national organizations representing the full spectrum of cancer care and Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. 

The Commission’s core functions include establishing standards to ensure the delivery of quality, multidisciplinary, and comprehensive cancer care in health care settings; surveying facilities to assess compliance with those standards; collecting standardized data from approved facilities to measure quality; using data to monitor treatment patterns; supporting cancer control, and enhancing clinical surveillance activities; and developing effective educational interventions to improve outcomes at the national, state, and local level.

There are currently more than 1,400 CoC-approved cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico, and approximately 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients are treated with those facilities.

For more information on the Cancer Liaison Program and the Commission on Cancer, contact the Commission on Cancer at the American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611; call 312-202-5085; or visit http://www.facs.org/cancer (.)

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Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System is a leading health care organization known for providing care for the whole person with grace and clinical distinction. Bon Secours brings together a network of hospitals, primary care practices, ambulatory care sites and continuing care facilities to provide quality health care services to the residents of Hampton Roads. Bon Secours, which employs more than 4,500, includes: Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, Mary Immaculate Hospital, Bon Secours Health Center at Harbour View, Bon Secours Maryview Nursing Care Center and St. Francis Nursing Center.