By Staff Reports
(HONOLULU) – Kaiser Permanente’s oncology and hematology department has achieved certification in the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) program, a quality care assessment established by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The QOPI Certification Program (QCP™) provides a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet nationally recognized standards for quality cancer care. Kaiser Permanente’s Hawaii region is one of only three QOPI-certified practices in the state.
“QOPI provides oncology practices with the information needed to evaluate and continually improve the quality of care they provide for patients,” said ASCO president Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO. “Since its start in 2010, the QOPI Certification Program allows practices to maintain their commitment to excellence by providing high-quality care for patients with cancer.”
To obtain certification, oncology practices must provide patient data abstractions twice per year, meeting scoring criteria in end-of-life care, symptom and toxicity management, and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Practices applying for certification must also participate in an on-site review conducted by an experienced oncology nurse, assessing chemotherapy administration, records, policies and tools according to QPC standards. Certification safety standards are based on national guidelines and address key areas of patient care, including staffing, treatment planning and chart documentation, informed consent, chemotherapy orders, drug preparation, chemotherapy administration, patient monitoring and assessment, preparedness for emergencies, oral chemotherapy and patient education.
“Our oncology and hematology department is committed to providing our patients with the highest standard of cancer care, and this national certification validates all of our efforts in this regard,” said Dr. Jennifer Carney, chief of oncology and hematology at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. “We’ve also done a significant amount of work to increase our patients’ access to groundbreaking clinical trials here in the islands, so our members don’t always have to go to the mainland for treatment.”
Recent Achievements in Quality Care by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
QOPI certification follows a string of recent quality care honors received by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. Late last year, the organization was ranked No. 1 in the nation on measures related to comprehensive diabetes care among Medicare patients, and received the highest level of recognition by the American Stroke Association for excellence in stroke care for the fourth consecutive year.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has provided total health to the people of Hawaii for more than 50 years, with physicians who are members of the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group, the largest multi-specialty physician group practice in the state of Hawaii. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. Visit kp.org for additional information. Become a fan of good health with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii: Like our page at Facebook.com/KPHawaii and follow @KPHawaii on Twitter.
About ASCO
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 35,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, which funds ground-breaking research and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of people with cancer. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.
About ASCO Institute for Quality, LLC
The ASCO Institute for Quality is an ASCO affiliate dedicated to innovative quality improvement programs for ASCO members and their patients. Committed to providing oncologists with the necessary resources to provide every patient with high-level cancer care, the Institute carries out ASCO’s clinical quality improvement programs. The Institute is a wholly owned subsidiary of ASCO.