Kimball Medical Center Radiation Oncologist Appointed as Cancer Liaison Physician by Commission on Cancer

Hemangini Shah, DO, a radiation oncologist at Kimball Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility, was recently appointed to serve a three-year term as Cancer Liaison Physician for the cancer program at Kimball, which is accredited by  the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC), a consortium of professional organizations designed to reduce the morbidity and mortality rate of cancer through education, standard setting and monitoring of quality care.

Dr. Shah, a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at Kimball Medical Center, is among a national network of more than 1,500 volunteer physicians responsible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain and support their facilities' cancer programs.

As a Cancer Liaison Physician, Dr. Shah will evaluate, interpret and report Kimball’s performance data through the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) and facilitate quality improvement initiatives based on data findings. Dr. Shah will also be responsible for leading CoC initiatives within Kimball’s cancer program and collaborating with agencies such as the American Cancer Society on behalf of the hospital.

“We’re proud to have one of Kimball’s own physicians selected to participate in such an important program offered by the Commission on Cancer,” said Todd Phillips, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Kimball Medical Center. “As a Cancer Liaison Physician, Dr. Shah will analyze and report the processes and outcomes of Kimball Medical Center’s high quality cancer programs and services in order to have an impact on treatment provided to cancer patients both at our hospital and nationwide.”

Dr. Shah, whose clinical interests include the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, is board certified in radiation oncology by the American Board of Osteopathic Radiology and the American Board of Radiology. She earned a medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Shah completed an internship at Union Hospital in Union, N.J. and a residency at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, N.J.

For more information on the Cancer Liaison Program, visit http://www.facs.org/cancer. For more information on Kimball Medical Center or its cancer services, please call 1-888-724-7123 or visit BarnabasHealth.org/Kimball.

About Kimball Medical Center:
Kimball Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility, is a fully accredited acute care hospital dedicated to providing high quality medical and healthcare services to the residents of Ocean County and southern Monmouth County. In addition to offering a full range of innovative diagnostic and treatment services, Kimball Medical Center offers an array of wellness programs. Its ever-growing series of health education programs, lectures, screenings and support groups aim to promote wellness among all age groups. For more information about Kimball Medical Center, visit www.barnabashealth.org.

About the National Cancer Data Base:

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) and the American Cancer Society (ACS), is a nationwide oncology outcomes database for more than 1,500 Commission-accredited cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Some 70 percent of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer in the United States are captured at the institutional level and reported to the NCDB.  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.