The cancer imaging program quality framework at Cancer Care Ontario: The first five years.

Abstract

244 Background: The Cancer Imaging Program (CIP) at Cancer Care Ontario was established in 2009 to improve the quality of cancer imaging in Ontario. Methods: After initial selection of a Provincial clinical lead in 2009, fourteen regional clinical leads were selected to represent all geographical regions of the province. Through a stakeholder survey and a priority setting process the following four high-level areas of priority emerged to support quality improvement of cancer imaging: (1) Developing and Fostering an Imaging Community of Practice, (2) Imaging Appropriateness, (3) Timely Access to Imaging, and (4) Standardized/Synoptic Reporting. Results: (1) An Imaging Community of Practice was established with the regional clinical leads, who participate in monthly meetings to build and strengthen inter-regional relationships and share information on regional activities and priorities; (2) Best practice standards for imaging in lung and colorectal cancer have been developed by consolidating and endorsing national and international guidelines. New imaging guidelines are being developed by the Program in Evidence-Based Care. Evidence-based recommendations being developed for focal tumour ablation procedures; (3) Three Interventional Radiology procedures (CT-guided lung biopsies, peripherally inserted central catheters and portacaths) have been selected for an ongoing wait time collection that captures monthly point-in-time data. The data has initiated discussions on appropriate benchmarks and identification of factors that may contribute wait times; and (4) Synoptic Radiology Reporting enables the collection of uniform and complete data to improve the information available to referring clinicians for diagnosis and treatment planning. Work is underway in the development of: implementation roadmap, evidence-based clinical checklists, infrastructure to store and share synoptic reports, and international standards for synoptic radiology reporting. Conclusions: The establishment of the CIP as a clinical program under a provincial cancer agency has enabled the development of an Imaging Community of Practice and allowed for work on provincial-wide initiatives that enable quality improvement of cancer imaging.