Oncology Nursing Society Receives CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation
CARY, NC (November 11, 2008) – The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the largest professional oncology association in the world with a membership of more than 35,000 registered nurses and other healthcare providers dedicated to excellence in oncology patient care, has been accredited with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ certification. Pittsburgh-based ONS is the twenty-eighth organization to achieve Gold Standard accreditation, recognizing their efforts to meet an exceptionally high standard of cancer prevention, screening and care guidelines for their employees and family members.
“ONS is proud of this recognition,” said Brenda Nevidjon, RN, MSN, FAAN, President of ONS. “We are committed to encouraging employees and their families to take charge of their health by doing all they can to reduce their risks of cancer. We also encourage other organizations to commit to reducing cancer risks among their employees.”
William C. Weldon, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson chairs the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, the nonprofit organization of cancer-fighting CEOs that created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, American Cancer Society, CDC and leading health professionals.
“The Oncology Nursing Society is united in their dedication not only to excellence in cancer patient care but in their commitment to the health of their own employees and family members,” said Weldon.
The CEO Cancer Gold Standard™, calls for companies to evaluate their benefits and culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to fight cancer in the workplace. To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use and encouraging physical activity, healthy diet and nutrition; detect cancer at its earliest stages; and provide access to quality care, including the availability of clinical trials.
The most recent President’s Cancer Panel report, “Maximizing our Nation’s Investment in Cancer: Three Crucial Actions for America’s Health”, identified the CEO Cancer Gold Standard as an initiative that emphasizes cancer screening, tobacco control, cancer education, lifestyle modification, and access to cancer treatment when needed.
Joining The Oncology Nursing Society in this workplace-based effort to eliminate cancer as a public health threat are: American Cancer Society, American Legacy Foundation, AstraZeneca, C-Change, Duke Medicine, Edelman, Enzon Pharmaceuticals, GHI, GlaxoSmithKline, Jenner & Block, Johnson & Johnson, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, MD Anderson Cancer Center, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Novartis, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, PhRMA, PPD, Quintiles Transnational, SAS Institute, The University of North Dakota, US Oncology, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Virtua Health and The Wistar Institute.
About The Oncology Nursing Society
The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) is a national specialty organization of over 35,000 registered nurses and other healthcare professionals dedicated to excellence in patient care, research, administration, and education in the field of oncology. More than 220 local chapters provide a network for education and peer support at the community level. In addition, more than 30 special interest groups (SIGs) facilitate national networking of members in subspecialty areas. ONS actively supports health policy initiatives that support the nursing workforce, access to care, and prevention and early detection of cancer. For more information, please visit www.ons.org.
About the CEO Roundtable on Cancer
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to “do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families.” The CEOs responded with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard encouraging its widespread adoption in workplaces across the country. For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ and the accreditation process, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org.
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For more information: CEO Roundtable on Cancer John Dornan, Executive Director P: 919-531-0966E: John.Dornan@CEORoundtableOnCancer.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
To read the President’s Cancer Panel 2007-2008 report, please go to: http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/pcp.htm.