Memorial Cancer Institute Achieves ASCO Certification Patient Centered Cancer Care Pilot
July 26, 2022
Memorial Cancer Institute is among the first nine oncology sites in the nation, and the first in Florida, to achieve certification through the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Patient-Centered Cancer Care Certification pilot based on its adherence to oncology medical home (OMH) standards, a single set of comprehensive, expert-backed standards for patient-centered care delivery. Published by ASCO and the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), these rigorous standards focus on seven domains of cancer care: patient engagement; availability and access to care; evidence-based medicine; equitable and comprehensive team-based care; quality improvement; goals of care and palliative and end-of-life care; and chemotherapy safety.
“We are thrilled to be among the first in the nation to be recognized for our commitment to high-quality cancer care by demonstrating our program's ability to meet rigorous care delivery and quality improvement standards,” said Meredith B. Feinberg, vice president, Memorial Cancer Institute and Moffitt Malignant Hematology and Cellular Therapy at Memorial Healthcare System. "Every member of the Memorial Cancer Institute team, from physicians and healthcare professionals to our administrative staff made significant contributions to ensure this journey ultimately benefits our patients.”
Beginning in July 2021, Memorial Cancer Institute, along with 11 other oncology sites in the United States, prepared for surveyors to conduct site visits to assess performance relative to each ASCO-COA Oncology Medical Home Standards. With guidance from surveyors, Memorial Cancer Institute further transformed cancer care delivery, including the development of improved workflows, staff education and training on the new initiatives, and compliance data monitoring to demonstrate success. To achieve certification, Memorial met 17 care delivery standards and 22 chemotherapy safety standards.
Memorial Cancer Institute will continue to work with ASCO leaders on these important value-based initiatives to review quality improvement initiatives, patient satisfaction surveys and oncology clinical pathways utilization, as well as data on quality measures, such as advance care planning, depression screening, chemotherapy in the last 14 days of life, and pain assessment to maintain certification and demonstrate its continued commitment to providing high-quality cancer care.
“We commend all of the certified practices for their achievement and dedication to transforming their practice. By doing the work to meet these standards and achieve certification, these practices are better equipped to succeed in a value-based system and deliver high-quality, equitable, evidence-based care for every single patient,” Lori J. Pierce, MD, FASTRO, FASCO, Chair of the Board of the Association for Clinical Oncology.
The pilot is slated to end in summer 2023. Over the next year, Memorial Cancer Institute will continue to work on quality assessment and improvement activities to maintain its certification.
About Memorial Cancer Institute
Part of Memorial Healthcare System, Memorial Cancer Institute is one of the largest cancer centers in Florida, treating more than 4,600 new patients each year. Memorial Cancer Institute, with research partner Florida Atlantic University, is one of only five programs designated by the Department of Health as a “Cancer Center of Excellence in Florida.” Memorial Cancer Institute will soon open a new freestanding facility in Pembroke Pines that will include radiation oncology, breast oncology, hematology-oncology, and Moffitt Malignant Hematology and Cellular Therapy at Memorial. It will also feature private infusion bays, a boutique and salon, conference center, physician offices, meditation room and a rooftop garden that will cement Memorial’s place as a home for world-class cancer treatment, research and high quality patient and family-centered care.