New Registry Launched to Track and Improve the Quality of Cancer Care Delivered in the U.S.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A registry that tracks the quality of medical care provided to patients receiving cancer treatment launched this month as part of a collaboration between the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). In addition to improving the quality of care for people living with cancer, the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Reporting Registry also makes it easier for medical and radiation oncologists to report quality-related performance metrics required by the federal government.

The registry, a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), is the latest joint initiative from ASCO and ASTRO. This platform builds on the Societies' joint efforts over the past several years to improve cancer care by developing measures to track physician performance.

"Our two Societies are most interested in promoting the highest quality standards when it comes to patient care, and we have jointly made quality performance, including quality improvement and quality reporting, a shared priority," said ASCO President Bruce E. Johnson, MD, FASCO. "By launching this registry, we are not only providing tools for improving cancer care for our patients, but are also facilitating our members' responsibility to report their quality performance to the federal government."

"By giving clinics the power to track, refine and improve their performance over time, this inventive tool advances the culture of quality and safety in cancer care," said ASTRO Chair Brian Kavanagh, MD, MPH, FASTRO. "Additionally, reducing administrative burden affords physicians more time to focus on providing the highest quality care. Through this collaborative effort, ASTRO and ASCO demonstrate our commitment to patient engagement and finding ways to help physicians spend more time interacting with their patients."

Currently, the 2018 QOPI® Reporting Registry includes a robust set of 25 measures to assess the quality of care delivered to cancer patients. Measures address topics such as pain management and the use of diagnostic screening. ASCO and ASTRO are also working together to identify and develop additional quality measures to expand the registry.

This effort builds on the original QOPI®, 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.

ASCO and ASTRO also co-sponsor five scientific symposia a year together to disseminate the latest advances in cancer care. In addition, ASTRO serves on the Oncology Leadership Council for CancerLinQ®, ASCO's health information technology platform to enhance and improve the understanding and treatment of cancer.

QOPI is a project dedicated to innovative quality improvement programs. For more information, please visit: http://www.instituteforquality.org/qopi-qcp.

About ASCO
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) is committed to making a world of difference in cancer care. As the world's leading organization of its kind, ASCO represents more than 40,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of the highest-quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, explore patient education resources at www.Cancer.Net, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world's largest radiation oncology society, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. The Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three peer-reviewed journals, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology ? Biology ? Physics (redjournal.org), Practical Radiation Oncology (practicalradonc.org) and Advances in Radiation Oncology (advancesradonc.org); developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers (rtanswers.org); and created the Radiation Oncology Institute (roinstitute.org), a nonprofit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org, sign up to receive our news and follow us on our blog, Facebook and Twitter.

CONTACT:
Kate Crawford, ASCO
571-483-1366
[email protected]

Liz Gardner, ASTRO
703-286-1600
[email protected]

SOURCE American Society for Radiation Oncology