ASCO Announces Inaugural Class for Quality Training Program

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has announced its inaugural class of 15 oncology practices and institutions for its first-ever Quality Training Program. This six-month program will teach oncology providers to conduct focused quality improvement efforts in their practices.

“For oncologists, continuous quality improvement is a key goal. We measure and assess the quality of care we deliver and constantly look for areas where we can do better,” said ASCO President Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP. “ASCO’s Quality Training Program will guide oncology care providers in establishing methods and solutions to implement these quality improvements within their practices.”

ASCO issued its first clinical practice guideline in 1994 and launched the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®), the first, national program to help practices improve the quality of care they deliver, in 2006. The Quality Training Program represents an expanded opportunity for oncologists to improve care in their practice.

The six-month Quality Training Program will offer five days of face-to-face education sessions between October 2013 and March 2014 at ASCO’s headquarters. Throughout the program, each practice will undertake its own focused quality improvement project, and the practice team will immediately be able to implement what they have learned. After completing the training program, participants will have an understanding of process analysis, rapid cycle improvement, quantitative and qualitative methods, and creating and managing effective teams.

Practices wishing to participate submitted an application, which was rigorously reviewed by the program’s selection committee. The inaugural class includes:

The Center for Breast Health – Bethesda, Md.

Clearview Cancer Center – Huntsville, Ala.

Cleveland Clinic Foundation Taussig Cancer Institute – Cleveland, Ohio

LSU Health Shreveport, Feist‐Weiller Cancer Center– Shreveport, La.

New York University Langone Medical Center; NYU Cancer Institute – New York, N.Y.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation – Palo Alto, Calif.

Regional Cancer Care Associates ‐ Central Jersey Division – East Brunswick, N.J.

The Comprehensive Cancer Center A Program Of Rhode Island Hospital – Providence, R.I.

Trillium Health Partners ‐ Peel Regional Cancer Centre – Mississauga, Ontario

University of Illinois Cancer Center – Chicago, Ill.

University of Pennsylvania Health System, Abramson Cancer Center – Philadelphia, Pa.

Washington Cancer Institute, MedStar Washington Hospital Center – Washington, D.C.

West Virginia University/ Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center – Morgantown, W.Va.

Yale Cancer Center & Smilow Cancer Hospital – New Haven, Conn.

Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute – Meadville, Pa.

To learn more about ASCO’s Quality Training Program, please visit: www.asco.org/qualitytraining.

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 30,000 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.

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