SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., - Mark A. Hartman, MD, of Regional Radiation Oncology Care in Scottsbluff, recently received a three-year appointment as the cancer liaison physician for the Regional West Cancer Treatment Center. The Cancer Liaison Physician Program is an integral part of the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Hartman is among a national network of over 1,600 volunteer cancer liaison physicians who provide leadership and support to the CoC Approvals Program and other Commission on Cancer activities at their local facility. Dr. Hartman, who has a significant interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, provides direction as a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at his/her institution in order to maintain or see CoC approval of their cancer program.

“In Dr. Hartman's role as the Cancer Liaison Physician, he will play an integral role in seeing that the best and most up-to-date cancer treatment options are available to our patients, while also looking to increase cancer awareness and education in the community,” said Jeff Kriewald, assistant director of the Regional West Cancer Treatment Center.

The Commission on Cancer is a group of professional organizations dedicated to reducing the morbidity and mortality of cancer through education, standard setting and monitoring the quality of cancer care. The Commision’s core functions include establishing standards to ensure the delivery of quality, multidisciplinary and comprehensive cancer care in health care settings; surveying facilities to assess compliance with those standards; collecting standardized data from approved facilities to measure quality; using data to monitor treatment patterns; supporting cancer control and enhancing clinical surveillance activities and developing effective educational interventions to improve outcomes at the national, state and local level.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,300 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, we offer care that spans more than 40 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is one of only three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.