ODS EXAM PART 3 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. Categories of CoC Cancer Programs - 6-10: Integrated Network Cancer Program (INCP)
NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Program (NCIP)
NCI-Designated Network Cancer
Program (NCIN) Pediatric Cancer
Program (PCP)
Veterans Attairs Cancer Program (VACP)
2. CoC (Commission on Cancer): Establishes recommended standards designed to support high-quality,
multidisciplinary, and comprehensive cancer care
Conducts site visits at cancer programs to assess compliance with those standards
Collects standardized high-quality data from CoC accredited organizations
Uses data to measure cancer care quality and to monitor treatment patterns and outcomes
Develops educational interventions to improve cancer prevention, early detection and cancer care delivery
3. CoC Accreditation includes: data reporting to, and feedback from, the NCDB (National Cancer Data-
base) to assess hospital performance using nationally recognized quality of cancer care measures
4. NPCR (National Program of Cancer Registries): program under the CDC. Every year the
CENTRAL CANCER REGISTRIES (no hospitals) electronically submit demographic and clinical info about cancer incidence
to NPCR or NCI (National Cancer Institute's) SEER
5. SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results): Receives submissions from central
registries; describes temporal changes in cancer incidence, SEER data is used to eval changes over time related to
mortality, extent of disease at dx (stage), therapy and patient survival
6. CoC Standards
American College of Surgeons Optimal Resources for Cancer Care: 2020 Standards-
intended only to inform us of qualification criteria for CoC accreditation. They do not establish a standard of care and are
not intended to replace the medical judgement of a health care professional
,7. Standard: Qualification for accreditation (documentation and Measure of Compliance sections provide guid-
ance on how compliance must be demonstrated)
8. To Maintain Accreditation: Rated by site review and CoC
statt Cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every 3 years
9. Non-accreditation is conferred on an established program when...: 8 or more
standards are rated noncompliant in the Accreditation Report or a new program undergoing an initial site visit is rated
noncompliant in 3 or more standards
, 10. Contingency Rating: After receiving a 3 year accreditation with contingency rating (established program
with 1-7 deficiencies or a new program with 1-2 deficiencies), the contingency status must be resolved within 12
months.
11. Accredited programs: Must otter a full range of services either on-site or by referral
Programs are expected to follow local, state and federal requirements related to patient privacy, risk mgmt and peer review
12. CoC random facts: There are approx. 1500 CoC accredited programs in the US and Puerto Rico
13. Criteria to classify a CoC accredited program by category: type of facility, program
structure, service provided, and number of cases accessioned
cancer program designations reviewed annually (designations are retained unless services change)
14. Categories of CoC Cancer Programs - 1-5: Academic Comprehensive Cancer Program
(ACAD) Community Cancer Program (CCP)
Comprehensive Community Cancer Program (CCCP) - the most common COC cancer program category (38%)
Free Standing Cancer Center Program (FCCP)
Hospital Associate Cancer Program (HACP)
15. When do appointments for required Cancer Committee members occur: at the
first meeting of a calendar year at least once during the accreditation cycle. These appointments are documented in the
cancer committee minutes
16. Attendance of required member or alternate: Must attend at least 75% of the cancer
committee meetings per year. Monitored by cancer committee and must be recorded in meeting minutes. Monitoring of
attendance of non-required members is recommended.
17. Letter of Authority: From facility leadership (CEO or other chief) demonstrating the facility's commitment to
the development and success of an accredited CoC program for the facility. Must be written once each accreditation cycle.
18. Cancer Liaison Physician (CLP): Serves as the Cancer Committee Chair's alternate, reports must be
included in the cancer committee minutes or as an attachment to the cancer committee minutes. CLP identifies, analyzes and
presents NCDB data specific to the cancer program, with preference for areas of concern and/or where benchmarks are not
met to cancer committee at 2 meetings per year. CLP is present during site visit and meets with site reviewer to discuss
1. Categories of CoC Cancer Programs - 6-10: Integrated Network Cancer Program (INCP)
NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Program (NCIP)
NCI-Designated Network Cancer
Program (NCIN) Pediatric Cancer
Program (PCP)
Veterans Attairs Cancer Program (VACP)
2. CoC (Commission on Cancer): Establishes recommended standards designed to support high-quality,
multidisciplinary, and comprehensive cancer care
Conducts site visits at cancer programs to assess compliance with those standards
Collects standardized high-quality data from CoC accredited organizations
Uses data to measure cancer care quality and to monitor treatment patterns and outcomes
Develops educational interventions to improve cancer prevention, early detection and cancer care delivery
3. CoC Accreditation includes: data reporting to, and feedback from, the NCDB (National Cancer Data-
base) to assess hospital performance using nationally recognized quality of cancer care measures
4. NPCR (National Program of Cancer Registries): program under the CDC. Every year the
CENTRAL CANCER REGISTRIES (no hospitals) electronically submit demographic and clinical info about cancer incidence
to NPCR or NCI (National Cancer Institute's) SEER
5. SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results): Receives submissions from central
registries; describes temporal changes in cancer incidence, SEER data is used to eval changes over time related to
mortality, extent of disease at dx (stage), therapy and patient survival
6. CoC Standards
American College of Surgeons Optimal Resources for Cancer Care: 2020 Standards-
intended only to inform us of qualification criteria for CoC accreditation. They do not establish a standard of care and are
not intended to replace the medical judgement of a health care professional
,7. Standard: Qualification for accreditation (documentation and Measure of Compliance sections provide guid-
ance on how compliance must be demonstrated)
8. To Maintain Accreditation: Rated by site review and CoC
statt Cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every 3 years
9. Non-accreditation is conferred on an established program when...: 8 or more
standards are rated noncompliant in the Accreditation Report or a new program undergoing an initial site visit is rated
noncompliant in 3 or more standards
, 10. Contingency Rating: After receiving a 3 year accreditation with contingency rating (established program
with 1-7 deficiencies or a new program with 1-2 deficiencies), the contingency status must be resolved within 12
months.
11. Accredited programs: Must otter a full range of services either on-site or by referral
Programs are expected to follow local, state and federal requirements related to patient privacy, risk mgmt and peer review
12. CoC random facts: There are approx. 1500 CoC accredited programs in the US and Puerto Rico
13. Criteria to classify a CoC accredited program by category: type of facility, program
structure, service provided, and number of cases accessioned
cancer program designations reviewed annually (designations are retained unless services change)
14. Categories of CoC Cancer Programs - 1-5: Academic Comprehensive Cancer Program
(ACAD) Community Cancer Program (CCP)
Comprehensive Community Cancer Program (CCCP) - the most common COC cancer program category (38%)
Free Standing Cancer Center Program (FCCP)
Hospital Associate Cancer Program (HACP)
15. When do appointments for required Cancer Committee members occur: at the
first meeting of a calendar year at least once during the accreditation cycle. These appointments are documented in the
cancer committee minutes
16. Attendance of required member or alternate: Must attend at least 75% of the cancer
committee meetings per year. Monitored by cancer committee and must be recorded in meeting minutes. Monitoring of
attendance of non-required members is recommended.
17. Letter of Authority: From facility leadership (CEO or other chief) demonstrating the facility's commitment to
the development and success of an accredited CoC program for the facility. Must be written once each accreditation cycle.
18. Cancer Liaison Physician (CLP): Serves as the Cancer Committee Chair's alternate, reports must be
included in the cancer committee minutes or as an attachment to the cancer committee minutes. CLP identifies, analyzes and
presents NCDB data specific to the cancer program, with preference for areas of concern and/or where benchmarks are not
met to cancer committee at 2 meetings per year. CLP is present during site visit and meets with site reviewer to discuss
