The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) created the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI), launched in 2006, to provide a process for standardized assessment of care to help focus improvement activities in the oncology setting.
The four QOPI project-specific areas reflected in the graphs below remain high focus areas for Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) on an ongoing basis given their risk and significance across oncology providers nationally.
It is important to ensure through discussion that all patients prescribed chemotherapy via any route understand the intent of their therapy. This includes ensuring that curative, adjuvant or disease control is documented.
As the use of oral chemotherapy increases so does the need to routinely assess patient adherence following the start of therapy and toxicity. This includes clear documentation of the review of the regimen drug, dose, schedule and tolerance with the patient.
Patients who are in the end-stage of their disease should be counseled, recognizing it can be extremely emotional and overwhelming. When appropriate, there may come a time for referral into hospice. This measure is intended to ensure appropriate discussion occurs on a timely basis to maximize the benefits of such enrollment.
Including all forms of chemotherapy, this measure is intended to address quality of life concerns for patients at the end of life when aggressive treatment is no longer appropriate.