Veterans Affairs Radiation Oncology Quality Surveillance Program and American Society for Radiation Oncology Quality Measures Initiative

John Park, Lindsay L. Puckett, Evangelia Katsoulakis, Bhanu Prasad Venkatesulu, Ksenija Kujundzic, Abhishek A. Solanki, Benjamin Movsas, Charles B. Simone, Howard Sandler, Colleen A. Lawton, Prajnan Das, Jennifer Y. Wo, Thomas A. Buchholz, Christine M. Fisher, Louis B. Harrison, David J. Sher, Rishabh Kapoor, Christina H. Chapman, Samantha Dawes, Randi KudnerEmily Wilson, Michael Hagan, Jatinder Palta, Maria D. Kelly

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Ensuring high quality, evidence-based radiation therapy for patients is of the upmost importance. As a part of the largest integrated health system in America, the Department of Veterans Affairs National Radiation Oncology Program (VA-NROP) established a quality surveillance initiative to address the challenge and necessity of providing the highest quality of care for veterans treated for cancer. Methods and Materials: As part of this initiative, the VA-NROP contracted with the American Society for Radiation Oncology to commission 5 Blue Ribbon Panels for lung, prostate, rectal, breast, and head and neck cancers experts. This group worked collaboratively with the VA-NROP to develop consensus quality measures. In addition to the site-specific measures, an additional Blue Ribbon Panel comprised of the chairs and other members of the disease sites was formed to create 18 harmonized quality measures for all 5 sites (13 quality, 4 surveillance, and 1 aspirational). Conclusions: The VA-NROP and American Society for Radiation Oncology collaboration have created quality measures spanning 5 disease sites to help improve patient outcomes. These will be used for the ongoing quality surveillance of veterans receiving radiation therapy through the VA and its community partners.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)468-474
Number of pages7
JournalPractical Radiation Oncology
Volume12
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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