The Cancer Center at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has received the 2006 Commission on Cancer (CoC) Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons, according to Jim Gardner, president and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System. The Cancer Center was one of only 31 programs in the U.S to receive this award. This number represents only six percent of the programs surveyed during 2006.

Established in 2004, the CoC Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA) recognizes cancer programs that demonstrate excellence in providing high quality care to cancer patients. A facility is awarded the OAA following the on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the facility demonstrates a Commendation level of compliance with seven standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program.