Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute Achieves QOPI® Certification for Excellence in Oncology Care
Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) March 03, 2014 -- Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute has earned QOPI® (Quality Oncology Practice Initiative) Certification for its commitment to achieving excellence and ongoing quality improvement in its medical oncology, hematology and cell transplant programs.
The QOPI Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), was launched in 2010 to recognize medical oncology and hematology/oncology practices that are committed to delivering the highest quality of cancer care. Allegheny Health Network is now one of just nine cancer centers in Pennsylvania with QOPI certification and one of only 200 QOPI-certified practices in the U.S.
The three-year certification, effective through Jan. 6, 2017, was awarded following an extensive eight-year assessment that focused on rigorous data collection and analysis of all aspects of the Network’s clinical and operational activities. To achieve the quality distinction, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute met or exceeded QOPI’s core standards in all areas of treatment, including:
• Staff training and education,
• Treatment planning,
• Chemotherapy orders and drug preparation,
• Patient consent and education,
• Safe chemotherapy administration, and
• Monitoring and assessment of patient well-being.
David S. Parda, MD, FACP, System Chair, Cancer Institute and Radiation Oncology, Allegheny Health Network, said the QOPI certification is further evidence of the Network’s noted expertise in oncology care and a clear signal to cancer patients in the region that they will find no more comprehensive program or more experienced and dedicated oncology team to help them win their battle against the disease.
“QOPI Certification recognizes the physician-led and patient-centered culture of care that we afford cancer patients to ensure they receive nothing but the highest levels of expertise, care, and outcomes. It confirms that our medical oncology, hematology and cell transplant programs achieve the highest quality standards, are committed to continuous quality improvement, and deliver consistently safe, efficient, and effective cancer care,” Dr. Parda said.
Dr. Parda said the certification is an important component of the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute Quality Program, one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated, and innovative quality programs in oncology. The Network’s recently announced plans to establish a formal affiliation for cancer services with the Johns Hopkins National Cancer Institute-designated Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center promises to even further advance quality standards and cancer care innovations available through the Network to patients in western Pennsylvania, he said.
Among those who played key roles in helping Allegheny Health achieve QOPI certification include Jane Raymond, MD, Interim Director AGH Medical Oncology; Anna Vioral MSN, MEd, RN, OCN, PhDc, Director Oncology Education and Research; Carl Srodes, MD, President West Penn Allegheny Oncology Network; John Lister, MD, System Director, Hematology and Cellular Therapy, the West Penn Allegheny Health System Chemotherapy Council, Kyle Bird, MHA, Director of Operations, Oncology Program Development, and Sue Frank, RN, MSN, Vice President , Supportive Services and Program Development.
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About the QOPI® Certification Program:
The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) is an oncologist-led, practice-based quality assessment and improvement program. QOPI's goal is to promote excellence in cancer care by helping practices create a culture of self-examination and improvement. The process employed for improving cancer care includes measurement, feedback and improvement tools for hematology-oncology practices. The QOPI® Certification Program recognizes medical oncology and hematology/oncology practices that are committed to delivering the highest quality of cancer care.
About Allegheny Health Network:
Allegheny Health Network is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving Western Pennsylvania and the surrounding tri-state region. The Network is comprised of seven hospitals, including its flagship academic medical center Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Canonsburg Hospital, Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital and West Penn Hospital; the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute; ambulatory care centers; and a healthcare group purchasing organization. The Network employs approximately 17,000 people, including more than 2,100 physicians on its medical staff. The Network also serves as a clinical campus for both Temple University School of Medicine and Drexel University College of Medicine.
About Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute: The Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute is home to a comprehensive cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, education, and research program that provides the complete spectrum of oncology care. The Network is comprised of 50 oncology clinics across the western Pennsylvania region, including hospital-based programs at Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, West Penn Hospital and other collaborative hospital partners. The Network is home to more than 150 medical, surgical and radiation oncology physicians, one of the state’s largest bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy programs, and the nation’s largest radiation oncology network accredited by both the American Society for Radiation Oncology and American College of Radiology. Allegheny Health Network’s cancer research program offers patients access to more than 200 clinical trials and the Network’s physicians hold leadership roles at the National Cancer Institute, the NCI-funded National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, (the world’s foremost breast and bowel cancer research group), and many national and international organizations that advance cancer care.
Dan Laurent, Allegheny Health Network, http://www.wpahs.org, +1 412-807-8103, [email protected]
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