Local physician named to cancer commission

Port Jervis — Jaime Cepeda, M.D., of Port Jervis, N.Y. recently received a three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician for the cancer program at Bon Secours Community Hospital. Cancer Liaison Physicians are an integral part of cancer programs accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). Dr. Cepeda is a general surgeon with Community Medical Care, Canal Street in Port Jervis. He will be among a national network of over 1,600 volunteer physicians who are responsible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain, and support their facilities’ cancer program. Dr. Cedpeda has a significant interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, is a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at Bon Secours Community Hospital, an institution that is dedicated to facilitating the delivery of quality cancer care. Cancer Liaison Physicians are responsible for spearheading commission initiatives within their cancer program; collaborating with local agencies, such as the American Cancer Society and facilitating quality improvement initiatives utilizing data submitted to the commission’s National Cancer Database (NCDB). The commission collects data from its approved cancer programs and provides tools back to these facilities for the analysis of patterns of diagnosis and treatment. The NCDB currently contains patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and outcomes information for over 21 million malignant cancers diagnosed and treated at hospital-cancer programs in the United States between 1985 and 2005. These data account for approximately two-thirds of newly diagnosed cancers in the US each year. The Cancer Liaison Physician works with the cancer program staff to facilitate the submission, presentation, use, and interpretation of NCDB data. Analyzing and sharing these data with the cancer committee can have a positive impact on cancer patient care at the facility.