The VA Connecticut Healthcare System Comprehensive Cancer Center located in West Haven has been providing cancer care to veterans in Connecticut for over ten years. During this time the program has grown significantly and continues to provide quality care to its patients. Recently, the VA Connecticut Healthcare System received an Outstanding Achievement Award presented by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Established in 1922, the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care.
The Outstanding Achievement Award is designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. A total of three VA hospitals in the United States received the award for 2008 and only one the previous year. Only one other hospital in Connecticut has ever been honored with the award.
The VA Connecticut Healthcare System Comprehensive Cancer Center provides its patients with access to state-of-the-art treatments for nearly every type of cancer. They are one of the few VA's in the country that has the da Vinci Robotic System for prostate surgery which makes the operation easier on the patient and reduces the length of hospitalization. They are also one of the few VA's to hire a Cancer Care Coordinator/Navigator. The hiring of Laura Hunnibell, APRN, DNP, into this position in January 2007 has significantly expedited care for patients from diagnosis to treatment. "There are a lot of devoted people working here. We have a multidisciplinary team approach to care and great communication is one of the keys to our success. First and foremost, we make sure to do right by our patients," said Dr. Michal Rose, Director of the VA Connecticut Cancer Center.
Although they lack a radiation therapy facility at the center, patients are referred to Yale Therapeutic Radiology where they receive optimal care. The connection between the VA Connecticut and Yale has always been strong. Doctors from the Yale School of Medicine rotate through the center and are responsible for the clinical care of the patients.
Donna Connery, CTR, CPC-H, Certified Tumor Registrar for the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and Dr. David Fischer, Vice-Chairman of the Yale-New Haven Hospital Cancer Committee for the American College of Surgeons, played a significant role in helping the center reach its goal of receiving this award. Dr. Fischer has been working with VA Connecticut for 6 years and has seen the center achieve something not many centers have.
"The West Haven VA demonstrates a standard of care that is a step above their peers, and hopefully other centers will aspire to follow their lead. It’s a major accomplishment to have achieved so much in such a short amount of time," said Dr. Fischer.
In order to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award, 8 out of 8 standards must be met that are instituted by the American College of Surgeons. Some of the standards include quality control issues, community outreach, which includes teaching about cancer prevention, meeting of a tumor board to discuss the treatment of patients, and a certain number and quality of clinical trials must be met. "The way we make progress is to test new drugs and treatments, which often brings cutting-edge treatment to patients that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. That is why quality clinical trials are such an important standard to meet," said Dr. Fischer.
The VA Connecticut has hospice care services available and they work with the Hospice Veterans Partnership which provides end of life care to veterans while taking into account their special needs. The VA Connecticut also holds a Cancer Survivors Day that is in its 4th annual year.
"We love our veterans and it is an honor to be able to serve them,” said Dr. Rose. “We were so proud when we learned that we received this award. It reflects the wonderful patient care that is available here and our commitment to the veterans. Our goal for the near future is to increase our treatment space and facilities so that we can continue to provide excellent care to our veterans."