Cancer Care Program
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer, you will have many important issues to consider and decisions to make. But there is one very important thing you won't have to worry about—and that is, where you can find the best possible treatment for your condition. That's because the best in today's cancer care can be found in a Commission on Cancer (CoC) - approved Cancer Program, like Whidbey General Hospital’s.
Cancer programs earning recognition from the CoC offer high-quality cancer care. Only one in four hospitals that treat cancer patients receives this special approval. CoC accreditation recognizes the quality of comprehensive cancer care available at a facility and offers a commitment that you will have access to all of the various medical specialists who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Receiving care at a CoC-Approved Cancer Program ensures that you will receive:
- Quality care close to home
- Comprehensive care offering a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
- A multi-specialty, team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available to cancer patients
- Access to cancer-related information, education, and support
- A cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results, and offers lifelong patient follow-up
- Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care
- Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
Whidbey General Hospital has held this approval status since 1979. We recently underwent our annual COC survey and received 5 commendations in the following areas
- Outcome Analysis
- Clinical Trial Accrual
- Prevention and Early Detection
- Cancer Registry Staff Education
- Cancer Related Improvements
Facing a Cancer Diagnosis?
Treatment/Support Information: Medical Ambulatory Care (MAC) 678-7624 or 321-5173
Cancer Resources
2009 Cancer Program Annual Report
Mission Statement
The Cancer Program Annual Report is dedicated to all the caregivers watching over the well-being of oncology patients and their families who visit Whidbey General Hospital System and the Medical Ambulatory Care & Oncology Clinic.
A Message from Dr. Kenny Koo M.D., FRCS (Edin), FACS Chair, WGH Cancer Committee
The cancer program has set the following goals for itself:
Cancer & The Internet
Carla Jolley, ARNP, MN, AOCN
Cancer Survivors — people who are living with a diagnosis of cancer — know that meeting the challenges of cancer takes strength, courage, and good information. The search for information to help make decisions often starts with a cancer diagnosis. Information provides answers to the many questions that inevitably arise about the diagnosis, treatment options, emotional support, and what to expect. Sometimes information is needed just to form the questions one needs to ask of the health care team.
Cancer Committee
The mission of the Cancer Care Committee is to ensure continuous coordinated cancer care throughout the spectrum of health care. Working together, a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, patient care and support staff will collaborate with the patients and family members at the focal point, enabling them to meet their individual goals.
Cancer Prevention & Early Detection
by Carla Jolley, ARNP, MN, AOCN
Cancer develops when a single cell runs amuck in its programming. This process is called carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis is complicated and more is learned about this multi-step process daily.
Cancer Statistics
| File | Size |
|---|---|
| Incidence of Lung Cancer compared to other common Cancers 1991-2000 | 335.11 KB |
Colorectal Cancer
An Overview and Update
by Kenny Koo MD, FRCS (Edin), FACS
Cancer of the large intestine is the fourth most common malignancy in the United States, with approximately 130,000 new cases diagnosed annually. However, colorectal cancer has become the second leading cause of all cancer-related deaths in recent years after lung cancer, surpassing prostate cancer in the male and breast cancer in the female.
Diet & Disease: The Role of Fiber
Erin Simms, RD, CD, CNSD, Nutrition Services
Fiber has been known for many years as the "scrub brush" of the colon. Its effectiveness in the fight to prevent colon cancer, however, has recently come under critical review. Both the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet have published studies this year that refute earlier contentions that a diet high in fiber reduces colon cancer risk. So, in light of this new evidence, should you abandon fiber altogether? Certainly not.
Lymphedema
Lymphedema is a little known condition that is becoming better understood in the United States. To understand it we must understand the role of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a component of the circulatory and immune systems consisting of lymph vessels, nodes and lymphoid tissues.
Rehabilitation Services for People Living with Cancer
Felicia Rawls, Restorative Rehab Supervisor, Careage
According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 8.4 million Americans today are living with cancer. While some of these individuals can be considered cured, others still have evidence of cancer and may be undergoing treatment. People are now living longer with this disease. For many, cancer is essentially a chronic disease that is treatable, even with metastases.
Skin Cancer: Cutaneous Melanoma
D. Russell Johnson, MD, Whidbey Dermatology
Cutaneous melanoma is a skin cancer derived from the pigment making cells of the skin. Melanomas often appear as brown or black, irregularly shaped growths. They may arise anywhere on the body, including areas that do not receive regular sun exposure.