Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 36 : Spring 2018 | Page 61

The Jefferson Cary Cancer Center
at Cary Medical Center Receives
Recognition for High-Quality Cancer
Care from the Largest Oncology
Society in the United States
by Tamra Kilcollins
The Jefferson Cary Cancer Center, (JCCC), at Cary Medical
Center has been recognized by the QOPI® Certification
Program (QCP™), an affiliate of the American Society of
Clinical Oncology (ASCO®), as successfully completing a
three-year certification program for outpatient hematology-
oncology practices that meet nationally recognized standards
for quality cancer care. QCP™ builds on ASCO’s Quality
Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®).
into practice their commitment to quality and safety
excellence and continuous optimization of their processes.”
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 the QOPI®
program, practices abstract data from patients’ records up
to twice per year and enter this information into a secure
“We’re extremely proud to receive this certification from database. More than 900 oncology practices have registered
the QOPI® Certification Program, which underscores for the QOPI® program.
our commitment to excellence for our patients,” said
Regen Gallagher, DO, Cary Chief Medical Officer, and The QOPI® Certification Program was launched in January
JCCC Administrator. “Achieving QOPI certification is 2010, and more than 290 practices are currently certified.
the culmination of a coordinated effort on the part of the This certification for outpatient oncology practices is
Jefferson Cary Cancer Center, the Cary Pharmacy and the first program of its kind for oncology in the United
Pines Health Services, all working together to ensure that States and in 2016 was expanded internationally. The
our patient’s receive the highest quality cancer care. We QCP™ seal designates those practices that successfully met
sought to achieve this voluntary certification to show our the standards and objectives of the QOPI® Certification
commitment to excellent care that meets national standards Program, which includes scoring above the threshold on the
for our patients.”
key QOPI® quality measures and meeting chemotherapy
safety standards established by ASCO and the Oncology
In applying for certification, the Jefferson Cary Cancer Nursing Society.
Center participated in a voluntary comprehensive site
assessment against clearly specified standards that are QOPI® analyzes individual practice data and compares these
consistent with national guidelines and was successful in to more than 160 evidence-based and consensus quality
meeting the standards and objectives of QCP™.
measures. The information is then provided in reports to
participating practices. Individual practices also are able
“ASCO’s QOPI Certification demonstrates an oncology to compare their performance to data from other practices
practice’s dedication to providing high-quality care to across the country. Based on this feedback, doctors and
patients with cancer,” said ASCO President Bruce E. practices can identify areas for improvement.
Johnson, MD, FASCO. “The certification process is
rigorous and by successfully completing it, providers put To become QOPI® Certified, practices have to submit to
SPRING 2018
59