Development and implementation of clinical pathways across a network of blood cancer programs.

Abstract

161 Background: The Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network (SCBCN) is comprised of 7 blood cancer and Hematopoietic Cell Therapy (HCT) programs providing care for complex blood cancer patients. Network commitment to achieving standardization of care for quality and clinical platforms led to process design for development of evidence-based pathways. Methods: Standard operating procedures and a document control process were developed by the network quality management (QM). With oversight by physician leaders, initial efforts focused on standardizing patient selection criteria for HCT followed by formation of disease-specific work groups (leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, HCT). Physician-led and composed of key network team members (PharmDs, QM professionals, SCBCN leaders, research staff), the groups are responsible for developing evidence-based diagnostic and treatment pathways/algorithms for hematologic malignancies. Members participate in monthly teleconferences to develop the pathways. Annual review and deviation tracking are conducted, providing a mechanism for subsequent pathway revisions reflecting changing treatment paradigms and updated clinical evidence. QM oversees implementation and tracking across the network. Deviation tracking is managed locally using pathway-associated algorithms, with attending physician attestation to either compliance or pathway deviation/reason (e.g. co-morbidity, age, disease status, enrolled on clinical trial, other). Results are reported quarterly with review by QM. Results: See table. To date, 13 HCT pathways (18 algorithms) have been developed and released to SCBCN programs. Final approval is pending for 5 disease-based pathways (19 algorithms). Conclusions: The first compliance report will be submitted to QM in December, 2016. While deviation tracking has been paper-based, work efforts are underway to implement an electronic solution, enabling automated real-time monitoring. Implementation is expected in early 2017. [Table: see text]