The oncology program at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph has received accreditation fromtheCommission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons.Every three years the CoC accreditation program reviews hospital oncology services to ensure that they conform to commission standards and are committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care(learn more here).After a rigorous evaluation process and on-site performance review, Gifford received accreditation through 2016.
“Our goal is to make sure people know that they can receive the same quality of care offered at larger hospitals close to home, with a support network they know,” said Rebecca O’Berry, vice-president of surgery and operations at Gifford. “The accreditation process is work for our entire oncology team, but it is worth the effort. Battling a cancer diagnosis is hard enough—I’m thankful that we can provide quality cancer care locally and decrease our patient’s travel time during treatment.”
One of smallest hospitals in nation to hold CoC accreditation, Gifford has done so since 1965. Gifford’s oncology services include:
·Cancer care from experienced oncologist Dr. John Valentine
·Compassionate and specially certified oncology nurses
·Lab and diagnostic services
·Advanced diagnostic technology, including stereotactic breast imaging
·Patient navigator help with planning options for treatment and to coordinate care
·Outpatient chemotherapy
·Preventative cancer screenings
·Hospital specialists, surgeons, and a robust palliative care program
Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea andRochester and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, inpatient and rehabilitation units, many surgical services, accredited cancer program, a day care, two adult day programs and a 30-bed nursing home, the Menig Extended Care Facility, which was named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best 39 nursing homes in the country in 2012. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to the traditional hospital-based deliveries and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. The cancer program is accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.
Thehospital’s mission is to improve individuals’ and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.