Valley Health Cancer Center Earns Rectal Cancer Program Accreditation

Winchester Medical Center Program Meets Rigorous Standards

The Valley Health Cancer Center at Winchester Medical Center has once again earned a three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. WMC has been NAPRC-accredited since 2021, when the hospital became the first in the tri-state area to receive this accreditation.

To achieve voluntary NAPRC accreditation, a rectal 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.

Additionally, the WMC program met standards addressing the clinical services it provides, including Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) testing, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computerized Tomography (CT) for cancer staging, which offer important data for timely treatment planning.

To date, WMC is one of only four hospitals in Virginia – and one of 91 across the country – to have received NAPRC accreditation, according to the American College of Surgeons website.

“We’re very pleased that our program has earned accreditation again,” said Devin Flaherty, DO, PhD, FACOS, FACS, Medical Director, Valley Health Surgical Oncology, and program director of Valley Health’s rectal cancer program. “This accreditation process is quite rigorous, and our achievement reflects the collaboration of the entire multidisciplinary rectal cancer team. A special thanks to the rectal cancer program coordinator, Maureen Yarrington.”

“Maintaining NAPRC accreditation means that our patients can expect high-quality care that meets the highest national standards,” said Tonya Smith, MHA, Valley Health Senior Vice President, Acute Care, and President, Winchester Medical Center. “This achievement is the result of the team’s commitment to providing the best possible care and offering comprehensive rectal cancer services.”

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.

This year, the American Cancer Society estimates, more than 45,000 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. Rectal cancer is most treatable the earlier it is detected. Consult your provider if you are experiencing bleeding, discomfort or a change in bowel movements.

For more information on colorectal cancer services at Valley Health, visit www.valleyhealthlink.com/colorectalcancer.