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certified radiation oncologists, an oncology-certified
nurse practitioner and an oncology nurse specialist. It
also staffs highly qualified oncology-certified nurses.
“We are able to achieve high standards because of our
staff and physicians,” said JeanneAtha, Kootenai Cancer
Center director. “It takes everyone working together,
making our patients and our cancer program a priority.”
H O W Y O U B E N E F I T
CoC Accreditation ensures that patients receive:
Comprehensive care, including a complete range
of up-to-date services and equipment.
From innova-
tive new chemotherapies to a state-of-the-art linear
accelerator that pinpoints the exact location of tumors
and administers a precise dosage of radiation, the Center
offers comprehensive care. But the care patients receive
goes far beyond medicine. Social workers help patients
better understand their payment options, support groups
surround them with mental and emotional assistance,
and the Kootenai Health Foundation provides help to
those in need through the Cancer Patient Support Fund.
Together, the clinical team and support staff ensure
patients receive care for the full scope of their needs.
A team approach to coordinate the best available
treatment options.
The Center offers a unique perspec-
tive to the patient care process. Patients at the Center
receive the benefit of having specialists from different
disciplines working collaboratively to determine their
best course of treatment. Patients also work with a
nurse navigator who helps ensure that appointments
are scheduled, medications are understood, and patients’
and family members’ questions are answered.
Information about ongoing cancer clinical trials
and new treatment options.
The Center collaborates
with the National Cancer Institute and several national
cooperative groups to enroll patients in clinical trials that
provide new treatment options. A team of oncologists,
research nurses and clinical research associates assesses
all patients for potential eligibility for clinical trials. The
Center averages 5.6 percent of patients in clinical trials
compared to the national average of 2 percent.
Access to prevention and early detection programs,
cancer education, and support services.
Kootenai offers
multiple cancer screenings each year, including skin and
prostate cancer screenings. The cancer center also offers
a genetics clinic. Patients who participate can find out
if they are genetically predisposed to certain types of
cancer and what their actual risk is. From there, Kootenai
physicians and nurses help guide patients to proper
preventive care measures.
A cancer registry that offers lifelong patient follow-
up.
The cancer registry tracks all reportable cases of
cancer throughout Kootenai Health and surrounding
physician clinics. The registry monitors about 980 new
cases each year and has several thousand cases in active
follow-up. The registry provides clinicians valuable
data on treatment trends and overall survival rates for
every type of cancer.
Ongoing monitoring and improvements in cancer care.
The Commission on Cancer sets high standards. As an
accredited cancer program, Kootenai Cancer Center
adheres to these same standards. This includes monitor-
ing quality outcomes for a variety of cancer diagnoses.
the Center is continually looking at ways to improve
care, from patient satisfaction to follow-up care, support
groups and more.
LEARN
For more information on Kootenai Cancer
Center, log on to
KootenaiHealth.org/Cancer
.
re,
Close toHome
The Commission on Cancer is a nationally recognized consortium of professional
organizations that set standards for high-quality, multidisciplinary cancer care.
Data collected by the commission is used to help improve patient outcomes.
KOO T E NA I
H E A L T H
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