Walnut Creek, California, February 6, 2024 — BASS Cancer Center successfully attained full accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) APEx- Accreditation Program for Excellence®. APEx provides external validation that a radiation oncology facility delivers high-quality patient care. BASS Cancer Center's accreditation is effective until November 2027.
"BASS Cancer Center is pleased to receive APEx accreditation from ASTRO, the largest radiation oncology society in the world," said Jesse Kaestner, Director of Radiation Oncology, Medical Imaging, and Breast Services. "Our radiation oncology team was invested in evaluating our processes to meet ASTRO's high standards for safety and quality. Achieving APEx accreditation shows our local community that we are dedicated to delivering consistently safe patient-centered cancer care."
“We are dedicated to providing the highest level of care to those in our community who embark on a cancer journey. It is an honor for our efforts to be recognized by ASTRO.” said K. Kenneth Chao, MD, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology.
APEx, the fastest-growing radiation oncology practice accreditation program in the United States, is a voluntary, objective, and rigorous multi-step process during which a radiation oncology practice is evaluated using consensus-based standards. The practice must demonstrate its safety and quality processes and show that it adheres to patient-centered care by promoting effective communication, coordinated treatments and strong patient engagement.
"ASTRO commends BASS Cancer Center for achieving APEx accreditation," said Jeff M. Michalski, MD, MBA, FASTRO, chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. "By undergoing this comprehensive review, the facility demonstrated their strong commitment to delivering safe, high-quality radiation oncology services to their patients."
APEx is the only radiation oncology accreditation program that includes a self-assessment, which allows practices to internally assess compliance with quality improvement standards. The practice then proceeds to a facility review by an external surveyor team that includes a radiation oncologist and a medical physicist. The program reflects the recommendations endorsed in the ASTRO publication Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care. To date, more than 300 U.S. facilities have earned APEx accreditation. Learn more about APEx at www.astro.org/APEx.
BASS Cancer Center is a part of BASS Medical Group, a multi-specialty medical group with more than 400 providers and 40 specialties in the Bay Area and Central Valley. BASS is teaming up with leading oncology partners to provide comprehensive, compassionate, and personalized cancer care to the San Francisco Bay Area by way of our state-of-the-art Walnut Creek facility.
