Mary Bird Perkins Retains Prominent ACR Accreditation

(Baton Rouge, La.) – Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The Cancer Center has been reaccredited for its Baton Rouge, Covington, Gonzales, Hammond and Houma locations. Radiation oncology (radiation therapy) is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer. A radiation oncologist may use radiation to cure cancer or to relieve a cancer patient’s pain. “All of us at Mary Bird Perkins, along with our hospital partners, are extremely proud of this achievement,” said Jonas Fontenot, Ph.D., chief operating officer and chief of physics, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “Most importantly, this process results in an even higher caliber of care for our patients. The level of sophistication, innovation and expertise that our physicians, medical physicists, radiation therapists and other support staff team members provide is unmatched in our region. Many of these individuals were trained at some of the world’s leading academic cancer centers. We are fortunate to have the best team, and we are constantly seeking ways to provide the most effective medicine and technology to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer for every patient we have the privilege of serving.” The ACR is the nation’s oldest and most widely accepted radiation oncology accrediting body, with over 700 accredited sites, and 30 years of accreditation experience. The ACR seal of accreditation represents the highest level of quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting specific Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards developed by ACR after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Patient care and treatment, patient safety, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement. The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 36,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services. Mary Bird Perkins has been ACR accredited since 1988.   About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a regional cancer care organization that has been fighting cancer for almost 50 years. The cancer care organization provides care at nine centers in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma, Gonzales, Zachary and Natchez, Mississippi, and its service area encompasses southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi regions. For more information, please visit www.marybird.org.