Rapid City, S.D., May 5, 2025 — Monument Health Cancer Care Institute‘s radiation oncology department attained accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) APEx – Accreditation Program for Excellence®. APEx provides external validation that a radiation oncology facility delivers high-quality, safe patient care. Cancer Care Institute is the first in South Dakota to earn this accreditation.
“Monument Health Cancer Care Institute is pleased to be the first cancer center in the state to receive this APEx accreditation from ASTRO, the largest radiation oncology society in the world,” said Eric Eastmo, M.D., President of Dakota West Radiation Oncology. “Our radiation oncology team is heavily invested in evaluating our processes to meet ASTRO’s high standards for safety and quality. Earning APEx accreditation demonstrates continued dedication to the Number 1 Goal of Monument Health: Deliver High Quality Care. Members of our community can take assurance in knowing that they have the opportunity to receive world-class cancer care close to home.”
APEx, the fastest-growing radiation oncology practice accreditation program in the United States, is a voluntary, objective and rigorous multi-step process during which a radiation oncology practice is evaluated using consensus-based standards. The practice must demonstrate its safety and quality processes and show that it adheres to patient-centered care by promoting effective communication, coordinated treatments and strong patient engagement.
“ASTRO commends Monument Health Cancer Care Institute for achieving accreditation through APEx,” said Howard M. Sandler, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. “By undergoing this comprehensive review, the facility demonstrated their ongoing commitment to delivering safe, high-quality radiation oncology services to their patients.”
APEx is the only radiation oncology accreditation program that includes a self-assessment, which allows practices to internally assess compliance with quality improvement standards. The practice then proceeds to a facility review by an external surveyor team that includes a radiation oncologist and a medical physicist. The program reflects the recommendations endorsed in the ASTRO publication Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care. To date, more than 400 U.S. facilities have earned APEx accreditation. Learn more about APEx at www.astro.org/APEx.
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About Monument Health
Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 40 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.