Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre (BCHC) has achieved a major milestone: a full three-year accreditation from the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) for its Radiation Therapy Unit. This prestigious recognition underscores BCHC’s unwavering commitment to providing the highest standard of care to its patients.
Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre (BCHC) has achieved a major milestone: a full three-year accreditation from the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) for its Radiation Therapy Unit. This prestigious recognition underscores BCHC’s unwavering commitment to providing the highest standard of care to its patients.
ACRO accreditation is granted to only a third of facilities on their first attempt. BCHC not only passed on its first submission but did so with an outstanding score of 90%, well above the 80% threshold. The accreditation confirms that BCHC meets or exceeds the highest international standards for radiation therapy, offering local patients access to top-tier care close to home—at no cost to the patient.
“Earning ACRO accreditation is a testament to our commitment to excellence,” said Dave Serratore, Chief Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer. “We operate with the same advanced treatment systems, software, protocols and quality assurance programmes used at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center in Boston. Patients can trust they are receiving the best possible care, without leaving the island.”
The rigorous peer-review process involved a comprehensive case audit by disease-specific experts and an on-site evaluation by a medical physicist and administrative surveyor. BCHC is the first facility to undergo ACRO’s updated accreditation process, led locally by Serratore.
“This is our second international accreditation earned on first application for radiation oncology, which speaks volumes,” said Dr Chris Fosker, CEO & Medical Director of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre. “It reflects our unwavering dedication to providing the highest quality cancer care to our community.”
The impact is tangible. The acquisition of the TrueBeam™ linear accelerator has drastically reduced the need for patients to travel overseas for treatment. Eight years ago, around 80 patients per year were sent abroad for radiation therapy; in 2024, only two required overseas treatment. Furthermore, there has been a fourfold increase in the number of under-insured patients receiving care—a reflection of BCHC’s commitment to removing cost as a barrier to treatment.
BCHC’s integrated cancer care model includes a new cancer navigation service, added in 2024, which ensures patients are guided swiftly and seamlessly through staging, referral, and treatment. It is this holistic and inclusive approach that has garnered international attention for the independent, non-profit medical centre, with BCHC contributing to peer-reviewed medical journals and global oncology conferences.
The ACRO accreditation solidifies Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre’s place as a global leader in accessible, high-quality cancer treatment—right here at home.
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About Bermuda Cancer and Health
Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre is an independent, non-profit (Bermuda registered charity #070) medical centre, not affiliated with Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB), and operates under a patient-first model of care. Clinical services include Digital Mammography, Breast Ultrasound and Biopsies, Bone Densitometry and Radiation Therapy for cancer treatment. Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre’s radiation therapy alliance with Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center ensures that its Radiation Therapy Unit provides the same level of treatment, care and outcomes at international standards by using the same treatment systems, software, RT protocols and quality assurance programmes as Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre firmly believes that health screenings such as mammograms and ultrasounds and treatment like radiation therapy should be available to everyone regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay. Providing a specialist approach to patient care, Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre offers world-class facilities using state-of-the-art equipment with flexible people-friendly hours (including after-work and Saturday appointments), a convenient location and on-site parking. For more information: www.chc.bm.
About American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO)
The American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) is an independent voice to represent the interests of both radiation oncologists and patients in evolving socioeconomic and political spheres.
ACRO’s accreditation programme consists of practice standards for radiation oncology. Practice accreditation is a voluntary process in which professional peers identify standards indicative of a quality practice, and an audit is conducted to assure that these standards are followed. Since its establishment, the ACRO Accreditation has undergone periodic revisions to reflect clinical and scientific advances within the field, as well as changes in the external landscape, providing for the safe and effective practice of radiation therapy. ACRO Accreditation is the only US accrediting body in radiation oncology to have achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification.
