Establishing purposeful oncology care disparities reduction strategies.

Abstract

166 Background: Quality thought leaders have noted the oneness of care quality and equity. Yet, quality improvement (QI) often ignores equity. We implemented a holistic approach to quality specifically designed to facilitate equity. We report the components of the approach and how it is being used to address disparities in unplanned acute care events (ACEs) among chemotherapy patients. Methods: We used the Institute for Health Improvement Whole System Quality framework to integrate care equity in an established quality program. We started by stratifying oncology dashboards by race, ethnicity, and language (REAL) as well as other factors (monitoring). We developed and implemented an Umbrella Action Plan Policy that specified an accountability structure to identify and address disparities (planning) and via goal setting (planning), prioritized, developed, and executed action plans to address disparities once identified (improvement). Results: In February 2023 a system-level senior leadership committee charged with priority setting cancer care quality initiatives approved the Umbrella Action Policy. This led to REAL-stratified, quarterly performance reports being shared with senior leadership who voted for this year’s annual goals to include identification and use of rapid cycle testing to eliminate ACE disparities. The organization-level goal engendered central QI coaching resources, established local entity QI teams within each System-affiliated entity with dedicated oncology program (N=6), and formed a learning collaborative across entities. One of each local QI team chose to focus on reducing race-related, language-related, and payor-related (Medicaid) disparities. The other organizations chose otherwise (e.g., age or gender). Teams are using two approaches to identify ACE root causes among target populations: (1) a structured chart abstraction form to search for, among other things, communication breakdowns, gaps in symptom management or other supportive care, and access barriers; and (2) a semi-structured interview guide to engage patients and caregivers for input and suggestions. In September, teams will work collaboratively to identify and execute small tests of change to alleviate identified drivers contributing to ACE disparities. Data from chart abstractions and patient engagement interviews will be shared along with results from tests of change tried to date. Conclusions: Facilitating the identification of disparities via REAL stratified dashboards, leadership teams setting expectations regarding gap closure, and allocation of resources to support local QI teams has focused the quality planning, monitoring, and, to some extent, improvement activities on care equity among marginalized populations. Prescriptively focusing local organization efforts may be needed for appropriate selection of target populations when wanting to infuse REAL equity in QI programming.