Parkland is now an ASCO Certified: Patient-Centered Cancer Care Standards Program Site

• Published: 6/16/2026

Parkland Health recently earned ASCO Certified® status. ASCO Certified is a patient-centered cancer care standards certification program from the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Achieving this certification demonstrates that Parkland’s Cancer Center has a strong and enduring commitment to measuring the quality of cancer care delivery and meeting national standards in quality and safety.

ASCO Certified recognizes oncology group practices and health systems that meet a single set of comprehensive, evidence-based Oncology Medical Home (OMH) standards developed by ASCO and the Community Oncology Alliance (COA). These standards focus on seven different domains of cancer care: patient engagement; availability and access to care; evidence-based medicine; comprehensive team-based care; quality improvement; goals of care, palliative, and end-of-life care discussions; and antineoplastic therapy safety. To achieve certification, practices need to meet all care delivery standards and antineoplastic therapy safety standards.

“Achieving ASCO Certified designation is a significant distinction for Parkland Cancer Center and reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered cancer care,” said Navid Sadeghi, MD, Chief of the Parkland Cancer Center and Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “It demonstrates that even in a resource-constrained environment, it is possible to provide safe, coordinated, and exceptional care to every patient we serve.”

“This recognition reflects the hard work, collaboration and unwavering commitment of our physicians, nurses, pharmacists, navigators and support staff,” said Umber Dickerson, Administrative Director of Parkland’s Cancer Center. “As Dallas County's public health system, we are proud to demonstrate that nationally recognized standards of excellence can be achieved while caring for a diverse patient population with complex needs.”

Parkland will continue to work with ASCO Certification Program surveyors to review quality improvement initiatives, patient satisfaction surveys, and oncology treatment pathways utilization, as well as data on quality measures, such as advance care planning, depression screening, antineoplastic therapy in the last 14 days of life, and pain assessment to maintain certification and demonstrate its continued commitment to providing high-quality cancer care.

"The ASCO Certified program is a vital tool for practices dedicated to providing the best quality cancer care,” said ASCO CEO Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO. “Focusing on patients, it supports the provision of coordinated and evidence-based care and that is why we are thrilled to see this program embraced by the oncology community.”

Visit the ASCO Certified website for more information.

For more information on cancer and cancer treatment at Parkland, visit www.cancer.parklandhealth.org/cancer/oncology-hub-homepage.

For more information about Parkland services, visit www.parklandhealth.orghttps://www.parklandhealth.org/home.