Rush University Medical Center has received a three-year certification from the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) by demonstrating that the Cancer Center’s processes surpass national benchmarks for providing high-quality care.
This is the first time the Cancer Center has earned this certification, placing Rush among the top cancer care programs in the world.
“I am very happy that Rush was recognized as one of the top centers certified by the American Society of Clinical Oncology for delivering high-quality care to our patients,” said Timothy M. Kuzel, MD, acting deputy director of the Rush University Cancer Center. “It certainly acknowledges the hard work our Cancer Center staff members put in every day to care for our patients.”
The QOPI Certification Program is an improvement program that helps hematology-oncology and medical oncology practices assess the quality of the care they provide to patients. Rush’s QOPI designation runs through August 2022.
In applying for certification, Rush participated in a voluntary comprehensive site assessment against clearly defined standards that are consistent with national guidelines. Rush was successful in meeting the core standards and objectives of the QOPI Certification Program in areas of treatment, including the following:
- Creating a safe environment — staffing, competencies, and general policy
- Treatment planning, patient consent, and education
- Ordering, preparing, dispensing, and administering chemotherapy
- Monitoring after chemotherapy is administered, including adherence, toxicity, and complications
- 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
The QOPI Certification Program, LLC, was launched in 2010, and nearly 300 practices are currently certified. This certification for outpatient oncology practices is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States, and in 2016 was expanded internationally. The QOPI Certification Program seal designates those practices that successfully met the standards and objectives of the QOPI Certification Program, which includes scoring above the threshold on the key QOPI quality measures and meeting chemotherapy safety standards established by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society.
The Rush University Cancer Center has proven its commitment to quality over the years with awards from various accrediting organizations, such as the Commission on Cancer, the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and The Joint Commission.
“This certification is another example to the Chicago and Midwest communities we serve that the Cancer Center is consistently recognized for high-quality, compassionate and thoughtful care,” Kuzel said.