ReCAP: Improving the Quality of Radiation Treatment for Patients in Ontario: Increasing Peer Review Activities on a Jurisdictional Level Using a Change Management Approach [FOCUS ON QUALITY]
QUESTION ASKED:
What is the impact of the Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) strategy (designed with guidance from a change management framework) to accelerate the use of peer-review processes in radiation oncology (ie, review of a radiation oncologist’s proposed treatment plan by a second radiation oncologist with or without additional multidisciplinary input) across all of its 14 cancer treatment centers?
SUMMARY ANSWER:
By following a number of key change management principles for organizational transformation, the proportion of radical-intent radiation therapy courses peer reviewed province-wide increased from 43.5% (Apr...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Reddeman, L., Foxcroft, S., Gutierrez, E., Hart, M., Lockhart, E., Mendelsohn, M., Ang, M., Sharpe, M., Warde, P., Brundage, M., Reddeman, L., Foxcroft, S., Gutierrez, E., Hart, M., Lockhart, E., Mendelsohn, M., Ang, M., Sharpe, M., Warde, P., Brundage, M Tags: Patient safety, Quality of care, Quality of Care, Radiation Oncology FOCUS ON QUALITY Source Type: research
ReCAP: Social Media Use Among Physicians and Trainees: Results of a National Medical Oncology Physician Survey [BUSINESS OF ONCOLOGY]
This study was conducted online, via e-mail. Therefore, respondents may represent a subpopulation of individuals who already prefer using Web-based technologies and may be more inclined to use social media, compared with individuals who do not use e-mail and were, by default, excluded from the study. We assumed, in designing this study, that the proportion of practicing oncology physicians who do not use e-mail is low. Although our sample size is small, it does represent one third of all registered medical oncologists in Canada. Finally, the high percentage of medical oncologist respondents and the concomitantly low fracti...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Adilman, R., Rajmohan, Y., Brooks, E., Urgoiti, G. R., Chung, C., Hammad, N., Trinkaus, M., Naseem, M., Simmons, C., Adilman, R., Rajmohan, Y., Brooks, E., Roldan Urgoiti, G., Chung, C., Hammad, N., Trinkaus, M., Naseem, M., Simmons, C. Tags: Training, Strategies for Career Success, Caregiver, General public, Media, Training, Career Development BUSINESS OF ONCOLOGY Source Type: research
Optimizing Tobacco Cessation Resource Awareness Among Patients and Providers [Quality in Action]
Conclusion:
The limited number of TC discussions among patients and providers was at least partially the result of unawareness of TC resources available within the community. Educating HNOPs and alerting them to ATUs at their clinic visits successfully prompted TC discussions in clinic. (Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Ma, L., Donohue, C., DeNofrio, T., Vitale Pedulla, L., Haddad, R. I., Rabinowits, G. Tags: Quality of care, Quality in Action Source Type: research
Improving the Safety of Oral Chemotherapy at an Academic Medical Center [Quality in Action]
Conclusion:
OC poses many of the same risks as intravenous chemotherapy and should be prescribed and reviewed with the same oversight. At our institution, involvement of an oncology-trained pharmacist in the review of OC led to meaningful interventions in one third of the orders. (Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Shah, N. N., Casella, E., Capozzi, D., McGettigan, S., Gangadhar, T. C., Schuchter, L., Myers, J. S. Tags: Patient safety, Quality of care Quality in Action Source Type: research
ReCAP: The ASCO Oncology Composite Provider Utilization File: New Data, New Insights [BUSINESS OF ONCOLOGY]
QUESTION ASKED:
What can we learn regarding oncology practice economics from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services public use files and other publicly available datasets?
SUMMARY ANSWER:
By combining and analyzing publicly available datasets, we are able to provide information on the distribution of supply of and demand for oncology services as well as present a clear picture of the financial risks associated with the provision of drug therapies to patients with cancer.
METHODS:
We combined publicly available datasets into what we call the ASCO Provider Utilization File and used it to calculate the average wor...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Barr, T. R., Towle, E. L., Barr, T. R., Towle, E. L. Tags: Access to care, Cost of care, Reimbursement, Financial resources, Access to care, Medicare, Practice Administration BUSINESS OF ONCOLOGY Source Type: research
ReCAP: Impact of the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program on Clinical Trial and Related Activities at a Community Cancer Center in Rural Nebraska [HEALTH CARE DELIVERY]
QUESTION ASKED:
What is the impact of participating in the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) on the number of clinical trials available, number of patients enrolled in trials, and trial-related services provided to patients at a rural community-based cancer program?
SUMMARY ANSWER:
Significant increases in the number and percentage of patients enrolled in clinical trials, in the number of available treatment and non-treatment (eg, prevention, biospecimen, cancer control) trials, in clinical trial staffing, and in the number of tissue samples collected and/or stored were observed during the...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Copur, M. S., Ramaekers, R., Gonen, M., Gulzow, M., Hadenfeldt, R., Fuller, C., Scott, J., Einspahr, S., Benzel, H., Mickey, M., Norvell, M., Clark, D., Gauchan, D., Kurbegov, D., Copur, M. S., Ramaekers, R., Gonen, M., Gulzow, M., Hadenfeldt, R., Fuller, Tags: Clinical Trials HEALTH CARE DELIVERY Source Type: research
ReCAP: Serum Tumor Marker Use in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors [HEALTH CARE DELIVERY]
The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of tumor marker use in patients with advanced solid tumors.
SUMMARY ANSWER:
Over a 1-year period, the mean number of any individual test per patient was seven tests, and the maximum number was 35 tests; the mean number of total tests per patient was 12 tests, and the maximum number was 70 tests. In a 1-year time frame, 16.3% of patients had more than 12 individual tests, and 34.3% had more than one individual test in a 1-month span.
METHODS:
For each patient with a diagnosis of advanced solid tumor who had outpatient visits between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014, ...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Accordino, M. K., Wright, J. D., Vasan, S., Neugut, A. I., Tergas, A., Hu, J. C., Hershman, D. L., Accordino, M. K., Wright, J. D., Vasan, S., Neugut, A. I., Tergas, A., Hu, J. C., Hershman, D. L. Tags: Management and treatment, Quality of care, Tumor marker, Quality of Care, Quality of Care, Adult Medical Oncology HEALTH CARE DELIVERY Source Type: research
ReCAP: Clinical Trial Assessment of Infrastructure Matrix Tool to Improve the Quality of Research Conduct in the Community [CLINICAL RESEARCH PRACTICES]
QUESTION ASKED:
Is there a tool for sites engaged in cancer clinical research to use to assess their infrastructure and improve their research conduct toward exemplary levels of performance beyond the standard of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)?
SUMMARY ANSWER:
The NCI Community Cancer Center Program (NCCCP) sites, with NCI Clinical Trial advisor input, created a "Clinical Trials Best Practice Matrix" self-assessment tool to assess research infrastructure. The tool identified nine attributes (eg, physician engagement in clinical trials, accrual activity, clinical trial portfolio diversity), each with three progressive levels...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Dimond, E. P., Zon, R. T., Weiner, B. J., St. Germain, D., Denicoff, A. M., Dempsey, K., Carrigan, A. C., Teal, R. W., Good, M. J., McCaskill-Stevens, W., Grubbs, S. S., Dimond, E. P., Zon, R. T., Weiner, B. J., St. Germain, D., Denicoff, A. M., Dempsey, Tags: Quality, Attributes of Exemplary Research, Organization CLINICAL RESEARCH PRACTICES Source Type: research
ReCAP: Assessing Cultural Competence Among Oncology Surgeons [CARE DELIVERY]
This study only surveyed surgical providers, which represents only a snapshot of the cancer care continuum. Future research should include medical oncology providers and others oncology providers to provide a more complete picture of cultural competency across the cancer care continuum.
REAL-LIFE IMPLICATIONS:
Culturally competent care is an essential but often overlooked component of high-quality health care. In our study sample, most surgical providers who treated racially and ethnically diverse patients perceived that they had a high level of cultural awareness, and their perceived and measured cultural awareness were ...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Doorenbos, A. Z., Morris, A. M., Haozous, E. A., Harris, H., Flum, D. R., Doorenbos, A. Z., Morris, A. M., Haozous, E. A., Harris, H., Flum, D. R. Tags: General public, Access to care, Access to care, Quality of Care CARE DELIVERY Source Type: research
ReCAP: Economic Evaluation Alongside a Clinical Trial of Telephone Versus In-Person Genetic Counseling for BRCA1/2 Mutations in Geographically Underserved Areas [CARE DELIVERY]
This study conducted an economic evaluation alongside a clinical trial of approaches to extending the reach of genetic testing services to geographically underserved populations.
SUMMARY ANSWER:
Telephone genetic counseling was less expensive than in-person services delivered in the community per individual counseled, individual tested, or mutation detected. For example, it cost an average of $120 (range, $80 to $200) per person counseled in the telephone counseling arm compared with $270 (range, $180 to $400) for in-person counseling. One-way sensitivity analyses showed that the average cost per participant remained cons...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Chang, Y., Near, A. M., Butler, K. M., Hoeffken, A., Edwards, S. L., Stroup, A. M., Kohlmann, W., Gammon, A., Buys, S. S., Schwartz, M. D., Peshkin, B. N., Kinney, A. Y., Mandelblatt, J. S., Chang, Y., Near, A. M., Butler, K. M., Hoeffken, A., Edwards, S. Tags: Access to care, Epidemiology, Genetic Epidemiology CARE DELIVERY Source Type: research
Perspective on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's Clinical Practice Guidelines for Smoking Cessation [Editorials]
(Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Ostroff, J. S., Goffin, J. R., Khuri, F. R., Warren, G. W. Tags: Clinical guidelines Editorials Source Type: research
The Farid Fata Medicare Fraud Case and Misplaced Incentives in Oncology Care [Editorials]
(Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Steensma, D. P. Tags: Ethics issues, Coding and Reimbursement, Quality of care Editorials Source Type: research
The Branding of Palliative Care [Editorials]
(Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Berry, L. L., Castellani, R., Stuart, B. Tags: Management and treatment, Palliative care, Quality of care, Caregiver, Family member, Access to care, Patient, Survivor, Quality of Life, Quality of Care, Efficiency of Care Editorials Source Type: research
Improving Price Transparency in Cancer Care [Editorials]
(Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Henrikson, N. B., Shankaran, V. Tags: Communication, Doctor-patient communication, Treatment related issues, Cost of care, General public, Patient Editorials Source Type: research
Treatment of Colorectal Liver Metastases: None of Us Is As Smart As All of Us [COMMENTARIES]
(Source: Journal of Oncology Practice)
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - January 12, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Nathan, H., Wong, S. L. Tags: Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Surgical Oncology COMMENTARIES Source Type: research
