National Accreditation Program for Rectal CancerRectal cancer programs interested in earning accreditation from the new National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) may now apply for participation in the program. The goal of the NAPRC is to ensure that rectal cancer patients receive appropriate care using a multidisciplinary approach.
The NAPRC was developed through collaboration between the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the Optimizing the Surgical Treatment of Rectal Cancer (OSTRiCh) Consortium, with input from other stakeholder organizations. The NAPRC formed as a response to the success European countries have had in treating rectal cancer, while the quality of care in the U.S. has continued to vary.
Representatives from OSTRiCh presented data highlighting these differences to the CoC Accreditation Committee, which eventually led to the development of a standards manual and six pilot surveys to form the NAPRC, explained Steven D. Wexner, MD, FACS, a colorectal surgeon, ACS Regent, and member of the NAPRC Steering Committee. The standards evaluate program management, clinical services, and quality improvement efforts. The NAPRC also offers educational modules created and maintained by content experts from the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, College of American Pathologists, and American College of Radiology.
To attain accreditation from the NAPRC, cancer programs must assess and demonstrate compliance with the requirements for all standards outlined in The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer Standards Manual: 2017 Edition, available at facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/naprc/standards.
For more information about the NAPRC, visit the ACS website at facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/naprc, contact NAPRC@facs.org, and read the ACS press release at facs.org/media/press-releases/2017/naprc062117.