(DURANGO, COLO.) Centura Health-Mercy Regional Medical Center’s Southwest Oncology has received re-certification by the QOPI® Certification Program, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Association for Clinical Oncology (the Association) and an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (the Society). The QOPI® Certification Program builds on the Society’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®), providing a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet nationally recognized standards for quality cancer care.
“QOPI certification is an important achievement that shows our ongoing commitment to quality oncology care that is evidence-based,” explained Julie MacCluskey, ANP-BC, AOCNP, Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Southwest Oncology.
Southwest Oncology first achieved certification in 2010 when it became the first practice in Colorado to earn QOPI certification. In applying for re-certification, Southwest Oncology participated in a voluntary comprehensive site assessment against clearly specified standards that are consistent with national guidelines and was successful in meeting the standards and objectives of the QOPI® Certification Program.
"Practices that re-certify demonstrate passion for quality care," said, Association Chair Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS, FASCO. "By opting to dedicate time and resources toward this certification, they exemplify what all providers should strive for, in not just meeting guidelines and standards, but exceeding them."
QOPI® is a voluntary self-assessment and improvement program launched by ASCO in 2006 to help hematology-oncology and medical oncology practices assess the quality of the care they provide to patients. Through QOPI®, practices abstract data from patients’ records up to twice per year and enter this information into a secure database. More than 750 oncology practices have registered for QOPI®.
The QOPI® Certification Program was launched in January 2010, and nearly 300 practices are currently certified. This certification for outpatient oncology practices is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States, and in 2016 the program was expanded internationally. The QOPI® Certification Program seal designates those practices that not only scored above the threshold on the key QOPI® quality measures but met chemotherapy safety standards established by the Society and the Oncology Nursing Society.
QOPI® analyzes individual practice data and compares these to more than 170 evidence-based and consensus quality measures. The information is then provided in reports to participating practices. Individual practices also are able to compare their performance to data from other practices across the country. Based on this feedback, doctors and practices can identify areas for improvement.
To become QOPI® Certified, practices have to submit to an evaluation of their entire practice and documentation standards. The QOPI® Certification Program staff and task force members then verify through an on-site survey that the evaluation and documents are correct and that the practices met core standards in areas of treatment, including:
- Creating a safe environment—staffing, competencies, and general policy
- Treatment planning, patient consent, and education
- Ordering, preparing, dispensing, and administering chemotherapy
- Monitoring after chemotherapy is administered, including adherence, toxicity, and complications
- Treatment planning
- Staff training and education
- Chemotherapy orders and drug preparation
- Patient consent and education
- Safe chemotherapy administration
- Monitoring and assessment of patient well-being.
QOPI® and the QOPI® Certification Program are projects dedicated to innovative quality improvement programs. For more information.
ABOUT QOPI CERTIFICATION PROGRAM LLC
QOPI® Certification Program, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Association for Clinical Oncology (the Association) and an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (the Society), is dedicated to recognizing exemplary commitment to safety and quality in oncology patient care. Practices that have achieved QOPI® Certification have scored well on key QOPI® quality measures and have met chemotherapy safety standards established by the Society and the Oncology Nursing Society in various areas of treatment and chemotherapy safety.
ABOUT MERCY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Mercy Regional Medical Center is an 82-bed acute care hospital in Durango, Colorado. As a non-profit hospital that is part of the Centura Health network, Mercy is committed to improving the health and wellness of the communities it serves in the Four Corners region. Visit the Mercy Regional Medical Center website for more information.
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Centura Health connects individuals, families and neighborhoods across Colorado, Utah and western Kansas with more than 6,000 physicians and 21,000 of the best hearts and minds in health care. Through our 17 hospitals, two senior living communities, neighborhood health centers, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life® Colorado, our caregivers make the region’s best health care accessible. We’re on a mission to build flourishing communities and whole person care. We’re Centura Health, and we’re your dedicated health partner for life. For information on Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit the Centura Health website.
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