Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute Earns Reaccreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer of the American College of Surgeons
November 20, 2023
Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute announced today its reaccreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. In 2019, Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute made history as the first in the state to earn the accreditation.
"As the first in the state to attain this accreditation, Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute has made history in our commitment to advancing cancer care," said Chuck Spicer, President of Our Lady of the Lake Health. "This reaccreditation highlights not only our ongoing dedication to excellence but also our leadership in ensuring that our community has access to the most innovative and comprehensive rectal cancer treatments. We will continue to strive to set a new standard for quality and compassionate care."
To achieve voluntary NAPRC accreditation, a rectal cancer center must demonstrate compliance with the NAPRC standards addressing program management, clinical services and quality improvement for patients. Centers are required to establish a multidisciplinary rectal cancer team that includes clinical representatives from surgery, pathology, radiology, radiation oncology and medical oncology.
"Our dedicated multidisciplinary team exemplifies the core values that form the foundation of our program,” said Susan Foret, MSHCM, BSN, RN, OCN, Vice President of Operations at Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute. “This recognition motivates us to continue delivering integrated, comprehensive services, ensuring that patients receive top-tier care from diagnosis through treatment and beyond."
Additionally, the program met standards addressing the clinical services that the rectal cancer program provides, including Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA testing), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computerized Tomography (CT) imaging for cancer staging, which allow patients to start treatment within a defined timeframe. Rectal cancer programs accredited by the NAPRC undergo a site visit every three years and are also accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
Accreditation by the NAPRC is granted only to those programs that are committed to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer. The NAPRC provides the structure and resources to develop and operate a high-quality rectal center. Accredited programs follow a model for organizing and managing a rectal center to ensure multidisciplinary, integrated, comprehensive rectal cancer services.
About Our Lady of the Lake Health
Our Lady of the Lake Health is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with more than 7,500 employees committed to serving the Capital Region and building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education. With an 800-bed Regional Medical Center, a dedicated Children’s Hospital, a 78-bed hospital in Gonzales, Louisiana, two freestanding emergency rooms in outlying parishes, and a 600+ provider Physician Group, Our Lady of the Lake Health provides comprehensive healthcare services for common to complex conditions. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is a primary teaching site for graduate medical education programs in partnership with LSU, and is recognized in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency care, stroke, cancer care, minimally invasive procedures, and more. Our Lady of the Lake is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit ololrmc.com.