Epic Care, Partners in Cancer Care, has been awarded a full, three-year accreditation in radiation oncology by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO) for all three of its radiation treatment facilities, located in Antioch, Dublin and Pleasant Hill. Epic Care is the first and only practice in the San Francisco Bay Area to earn this distinction – another step in Epic Care’s 20-year history of providing the highest quality care to patients in a safe and supportive environment.

“Our first priority has always been to ensure our patients receive superior cancer treatment,” said Dr. Nicola Ally, board-certified radiation oncologist and radiation oncology medical director at Epic Care. “As one of the East Bay’s most comprehensive cancer centers, this accreditation affirms our core philosophy that maintaining high-quality standards is of utmost importance in improving our patients’ experience and outcome.”

ACR-ASTRO accreditation is widely recognized as the gold standard of quality care in the field of radiation oncology. The ACR-ASTRO seal of accreditation is awarded only to facilities meeting specific National Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards following a rigorous peer-review evaluation by board-certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists who are experts in the field. The process assesses patient care, safety and outcome, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality-control procedures and quality-assurance programs.

The joint ACR-ASTRO Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation then reviews the findings and decides whether to grant accreditation. These accredited facilities are expected to continue to uphold high quality standards to maintain their accreditation.

The radiation oncology accreditation enhances Epic Care’s active ACR seal of accreditation in PET/CT imaging, also in the Antioch, Dublin and Pleasant Hill locations.

“We pride ourselves in providing compassionate cancer care, using proven state-of-the-art treatments including intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, targeted brachytherapy and radiosurgery, while also offering access via responsible research and clinical trials to cutting-edge options for our patients,” said Dr. K. Kenneth Chao, board-certified radiation oncologist and task force lead in Epic Care’s accreditation process. “The ACR-ASTRO accreditation gives our patients the peace of mind that they are receiving the highest level of cancer care, and recognizes the quality and hard work of our team.”