Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Receives Recognition for High Quality Care from Largest Oncology Society in U.S.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) has been recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
The QOPI® Certification Program awarded CCCB a three-year certification for meeting the highest standards for quality cancer care.
Dr. Ravi Shankar
“This certification from ASCO and QOPI is a credit to our dedicated team of nurses and medical oncologists who are committed to providing outstanding cancer care to our patients who continue to inspire us to better even today than we were yesterday,” said Ravi Shankar, M.D., radiation oncologist and medical director of CCCB.
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 database. Over 850 oncology practices have registered in the QOPI program.
Dr. Guiseppe Palermo
“We are extremely pleased to have received this prestigious recognition,” added Guiseppe Palermo, M.D., medical oncologist at CCCB in Rockledge. “It is an honor and a privilege for us to provide advanced cancer services to our patients. As members of our extended family, they deserve the highest quality care possible and we will continue to work diligently to offer them the most clinically proven treatments available.”
The QOPI® Certification Program (QCP™) was launched in January 2010, with more than 200 practices already certified. This certification for outpatient oncology practices is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States.
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.
Oncologists can achieve certification by meeting the highest standards of care. The QCP seal designates those practices that not only scored high on the key QOPI quality measures, but meet rigorous chemotherapy safety standards established by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).
QOPI® analyzes individual practice data and compares these to over 160 evidence-based and consensus quality measures. The information is then provided in reports to participating practices. Individual practices are also 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 certified, practices have to submit to an evaluation of their entire practice and documentation standards. The QCP staff and steering group members then verify through on-site inspection that the evaluation and documents are correct and that the practices met core standards in areas of treatment, including:
• 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
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 nearly 35,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Clifford A. Hudis
“QOPI is designed by clinical experts in oncology to give practices the ability to continuously improve the quality of care they provide,” said ASCO President Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP. “The QOPI Certification Program helps practices determine whether they are providing the best possible treatment and care to their patients and demonstrates their commitment to excellence and lifelong learning.”
Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) has been recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
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 Cancer.net.
For information on the Cancer Care Centers of Brevard in Melbourne call 321-952-0898, Rockledge at 321-636-2111, or log on to CancerCareBrevard.com.
