Mercy Cancer Center, based in Des Moines, has earned a three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer, a program launched in 2017 and administered by the American College of Surgeons. Mercy is one of just five programs in the nation to earn this accreditation, and the first non-pilot hospital to be accredited. To earn the voluntary accreditation, Mercy Cancer Center met 19 standards, including the establishment of a rectal cancer multidisciplinary team that includes clinical representatives from surgery, pathology, radiology, radiation oncology and medical oncology. “This accreditation emphasizes Mercy’s team approach to cancer care,” said Tim Hackbart, director of Mercy Cancer Center. “It ensures that our patients receive coordinated and comprehensive treatment options for the best possible outcome.”