Western Baptist cancer program among top 5 percent in the U.S.

Heather Castillow has high praises for Western Baptist Hospital’s cancer program, recently named one of the best in the country.

Castillow, 24, of Cunningham, received chemotherapy at Western Baptist after being diagnosed with colon cancer while six months pregnant. Castillow is now cancer free and her son, Matthew, is a healthy 21-month-old.

“Everyone at the chemotherapy department at Western Baptist was wonderful,” Castillow said. “I couldn’t have done it without them. They explain everything you need to know.”

Western Baptist’s cancer program has added another honor to its history of outstanding achievement. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) has presented it the Outstanding Achievement Award, an award given to just 90 accredited programs this year across the U.S., following the hospital’s fourth consecutive accreditation.

Programs seeking accreditation are reviewed every three years. Of the nation’s approximately 5,000 medical/surgical hospitals, only 30 percent are accredited and only 5 percent meet the CoC standards for the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Radiation oncologist Jeffrey Triplett, M.D., Cancer Committee chairman, said it is an honor for Western Baptist to receive this national achievement for the second consecutive cycle, after receiving its first achievement award three years ago.

 “I think this speaks volumes about the commitment of everyone involved in caring for cancer patients at Western Baptist Hospital,” Dr. Triplett said. “We have endeavored to provide the best care possible for all of our patients, and I feel that continued accreditation helps reaffirm our patients’ faith that, when they receive cancer treatment here at Western Baptist Hospital, they are receiving state-of-the-art treatment, second to none.”

Accreditation from the Commission on Cancer means Western Baptist Hospital offers a full-service program with excellence in diagnostic and treatment-related services, cancer registry, patient support and community education and outreach. Western Baptist’s most recent accreditation was at the ACoS’ highest level, with commendation in all eight surveyed areas.

Western Baptist is one of only three Kentucky hospitals with national accreditation for radiation oncology; and it has the area’s only Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, a designation awarded by the American College of Radiology for accredited mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy.

Meeting high national standards is a comfort for people with cancer and their families. James Alvis, 78, of Calvert City, is a colon cancer survivor. “It was the best care I have received anywhere,” he said. “They’ve been treating cancer there for a long time. They’ve perfected it to the point they are great.”