Lodi and Sonora Cancer Care Programs Receive Prestigious Accreditation

The radiation oncology teams at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial and the Diana J. White Cancer Institute at Adventist Health Sonora have earned accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) APEx – Accreditation Program for Excellence^â. APEx helps to verify that radiation oncology programs are delivering safe, high-quality care.

“Adventist Health is thrilled to receive APEx accreditation from ASTRO, the largest radiation oncology society in the world,” says Christy Casey, Administrative Director of Oncology for Adventist Health Sonora and Lodi Memorial. “Our radiation oncology teams work hard each day to meet ASTRO’s high standards for safety and quality. I am proud to work with these dedicated clinicians who are delivering consistently safe, patient-centered cancer care for our communities.”

It takes a team

APEx is the fastest-growing radiation oncology accreditation program in the United States. Radiation oncology practices choose to participate to be evaluated during a rigorous multi-step process. The practice must demonstrate safe, high-quality processes and patient-centered care.

Adventist Health oncology teams in Lodi and Sonora worked diligently for nearly two years to prepare for accreditation, which included an on-site survey in August 2025.

A prestigious designation

Sonora and Lodi Memorial are the first Adventist Health facilities to earn APEx accreditation. They join a prestigious list of APEx accredited cancer centers in California, including City of Hope, Stanford, and UCLA.

"ASTRO commends Adventist Health Lodi Memorial and Adventist Health Sonora for achieving APEx accreditation," said Howard M. Sandler, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. "By undergoing this comprehensive review, the facilities demonstrated their strong commitment to delivering safe, high-quality radiation oncology services to their patients."

Adventist Health Sonora’s accreditation is effective until August 2028 and Adventist Health Lodi Memorial’s is effective until August 2029.

APEx is the only radiation oncology accreditation program that includes a self-assessment. Practices internally assess compliance with quality improvement standards. Then the practice is evaluated by an external team that includes a radiation oncologist and a medical physicist. The program reflects 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.