Henry Ford Hospital earns three-year accreditation from National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer

Henry Ford Hospital has earned a three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), which was developed through a collaboration between the OSTRiCh (Optimizing the Surgical Treatment of Rectal Cancer) consortium and the Commission on Cancer, a quality program of the American College of Surgeons.

Henry Ford is one of only 69 hospitals in the country to earn this recognition, which requires a hospital to have a multidisciplinary care team; adopt NAPRC standards on program management, clinical services and quality improvement; and undergo an in-depth site visit to verify the hospital meets all accreditation standards.

"We are honored to earn this prestigious recognition, which is a direct reflection of the world class colorectal cancer care our patients receive at Henry Ford," said Craig Reickert, M.D., division head of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Henry Ford Health Cancer. "Our multidisciplinary team, which includes surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists and pathologists, all work together to create a care experience that delivers upon our promise of transforming lives and communities through health and wellness, one person at a time."

The NAPRC is based on successful international models that emphasize program structure, patient care processes, performance improvement and performance measures. NAPRC establishes multidisciplinary teams and research-supported protocols, collects data, and tracks processes and patient outcomes. The program also verifies adherence to evidence-based procedures.

Colorectal cancer is a collective name for cancers of the colon or rectum, the final two sections of the digestive tract. Most colorectal cancers start as growths called polyps, which can be detected through screening. Because colorectal cancer can spread to other parts of the body, it is important to find the cancer at an early stage when treatment is more effective and less invasive.

In 2019, the latest year for which incidence data are available, 142,462 new cases of colon and rectum cancer were reported in the United States, and 51,896 people died of this cancer. For every 100,000 people, 36 new colon and rectum cancer cases were reported and 13 people died of colorectal cancer.

To learn more or request an appointment with a Henry Ford colorectal cancer specialist, visit henryford.com/services/colon-rectal-cancer.