Apply for Accreditation

CoC Gap Analysis Tool | Key Application Dates

New Program Checklist | Benefits of CoC Accreditation

Thank you for your interest in Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation. The CoC is a nationally recognized multidisciplinary accreditation program. By working with our national partners, the CoC has developed comprehensive, patient-centered standards for cancer programs. Your cancer program will be evaluated against these standards to demonstrate compliance and your commitment to providing high-quality cancer care.

Approximately 1,500 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the United States treat more than 70% of recently diagnosed patients with cancer annually in the US. We encourage your cancer program to become part of this important network of accredited cancer programs dedicated to delivering high-quality cancer care.

New Resource

Commission on Cancer Optimal Resources for Cancer Care Gap Analysis Tool

To assist your accreditation journey, the CoC has developed a tool to help assess your site’s readiness to apply for CoC accreditation. This resource includes:

• Standard Elements – A basic description of the elements within each standard.
• Required Documentation – Information on what is needed to demonstrate compliance.
• Site Status – A space to document your site’s current standard compliance status.
• Action Plan – A space to document an action plan to address compliance gaps.
• Resources – Links to available resources that can assist with compliance, including access to templates and an example of the Pre-Review Questionnaire (PRQ).

For more information on this tool, please visit the ACS Store.

Key Application Dates

If your cancer program is submitting an application for a site visit in 2023:

• Your program must be able to demonstrate compliance with all of the Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards) in 2022*.
• Your program’s initial site visit will be scheduled after March 1, 2023.

Your program must have established a reference date no later than January 1, 2021, in order to provide a complete calendar year of abstracted data from 2021 and a complete year of follow-up on 2021 abstracted data.

* The COVID-19 Accreditation Tracker may not be used in lieu of standard compliance.

Networks

If you are interested in applying as a new Integrated Network Cancer Program (INCP) or National Cancer Institute-Designated Network Cancer Program (NCIN), please review the Guidelines to Form an INCP/NCIN.

New Program Checklist

Applications should not be submitted until the program can demonstrate one calendar year of compliance.

Pre-Submission

• Download the Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards).
• Form a cancer committee and begin documenting compliance.
• Establish a cancer registry start date, collect one year of data, and conduct one year of patient follow-up.

Submission

• Complete the online application.
• Sign the ACS Business Associate and Data Use Agreement (BAA/DUA).
  (The CoC will notify the program when their application is processed, and the BAA is received.)
• Receive an initial annual accreditation fee invoice.
• Receive full access to the Quality Portal (QPort) upon receipt of payment, which includes access to the Pre-Review Questionnaire (PRQ) and the ability to submit four preferred dates for the initial site visit.

Post-Submission

• Receive formal notification of the site visit date.
• Undergo a site visit by a CoC-trained Site Reviewer.
• Receive the Accreditation Report, which documents the site visit results, within 45 days of the site visit or as soon as practical thereafter.
• Submit data to the National Cancer Database.
• Promote your CoC accreditation.

Benefits of CoC Accreditation

Access to the Rapid Cancer Reporting System and other Reporting Tools

Facilitated by programs’ monthly submissions to the Rapid Cancer Reporting System (RCRS), CoC-accredited programs are provided with access to web-based tools to support quality improvement, community assessment, and cancer program administration. The tools can be used to:

• Evaluate and compare the cancer care delivered to patients diagnosed and/or treated at your facility with other CoC-accredited facilities at the state, regional, and national levels
• Identify areas for quality improvement to ensure that patients receive the right treatment at the right time
• Compare quality-related performance measures with aggregated CoC-accredited programs, including accountability, quality improvement, and surveillance measures
• Assess performance across multiple disease sites
• Run benchmark reports to drive quality improvement and quality assurance activities
• Track and analyze data on all types of cancer to:
  • Explore trends in cancer care
  • Review regional and state benchmarks for CoC-accredited facilities
  • Serve as the basis for quality improvement
• Access participant user files so that investigators can advance the quality of care delivered to patients with cancer

RCRS reporting tools assist CoC-accredited programs with addressing data quality issues, identifying patient care challenges, and focusing their performance improvement efforts in a way that benefits the patient.

Education and Training

Web-based education and in-person workshops are offered to educate you about the standards and reporting tools, best practices to support compliance with the standards, and tips and techniques for preparing for the site visit. 

Tools and Templates

Resources are provided to assist in recording and tracking cancer program activity for select standards in between and in preparation for site visits. 

Program Support

Access is provided to the CAnswer Forum online community to ask questions, search topics, and connect with cancer program colleagues across the country to share best practices. 

Marketing Resources

Promotion materials are provided to market your CoC-accreditation to your community with a variety of resources, including certificates, posters, and banner stands. Your cancer program is also promoted to the public through the American College of Surgeons Find a CoC Accredited Program tool.