Barbara Noris Chiorda1,2, Fabiana Zollo2, Tiziana Magnani3, Fabio Badenchini2, Lucia Gatto2, Melanie Claps2,4, Alberto Macchi2,5, Laure Andreoli1, Nicola Nicolai2,5, Sergio Villa1,2, Riccardo Valdagni1,2,6. 1. Division of Radiation Oncology 1, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. 2. Prostate Cancer Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. 3. Prostate Cancer Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. tiziana.magnani@istitutotumori.mi.it. 4. Division of Medical Oncology 1, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. 5. Division of Oncologic Urologic Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. 6. Department of Oncology and Haemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: In 2003, the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft, DKG) launched a certification program aimed at improving the quality of cancer care. The purpose of this article is to describe the experience of the Prostate Cancer Unit (PCU) at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, in the process towards DKG certification. METHODS: In 2018, PCU decided to apply for certification by adopting DKG catalogue of requirements (CoR) and quality indicators. A multiprofessional working group was established with the aim of acting the necessary steps to meet DKG standards. RESULTS: Our organizational setting (procedures, personnel) and activities were accurately analyzed, thus outlining strengths and weaknesses, and modified to comply with DKG CoR and indicators. As examples, (1) a quality management plan was developed; (2) measures were taken to strengthen the surgical expertise; (3) cases evaluated in weekly tumor boards were expanded to include surgical cases with pathological risk factors, metastatic, relapsed and castration-resistant patients; (4) a survey was added to the patient-dedicated initiatives already scheduled; (5) the TuDoc software became the tool to register all new cases of prostate cancer patients referred to PCU. CONCLUSIONS: The process of certification requires many efforts but represents a unique opportunity of improving quality of care of prostate cancer patients, making it comparable on an international scale.
PURPOSE: In 2003, the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft, DKG) launched a certification program aimed at improving the quality of cancer care. The purpose of this article is to describe the experience of the Prostate Cancer Unit (PCU) at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, in the process towards DKG certification. METHODS: In 2018, PCU decided to apply for certification by adopting DKG catalogue of requirements (CoR) and quality indicators. A multiprofessional working group was established with the aim of acting the necessary steps to meet DKG standards. RESULTS: Our organizational setting (procedures, personnel) and activities were accurately analyzed, thus outlining strengths and weaknesses, and modified to comply with DKG CoR and indicators. As examples, (1) a quality management plan was developed; (2) measures were taken to strengthen the surgical expertise; (3) cases evaluated in weekly tumor boards were expanded to include surgical cases with pathological risk factors, metastatic, relapsed and castration-resistant patients; (4) a survey was added to the patient-dedicated initiatives already scheduled; (5) the TuDoc software became the tool to register all new cases of prostate cancerpatients referred to PCU. CONCLUSIONS: The process of certification requires many efforts but represents a unique opportunity of improving quality of care of prostate cancerpatients, making it comparable on an international scale.
Entities:
Keywords:
Certification; Multidisciplinarity; Prostate cancer; Quality of care
Authors: Jeffrey J Leow; James W F Catto; Jason A Efstathiou; John L Gore; Ahmed A Hussein; Shahrokh F Shariat; Angela B Smith; Alon Z Weizer; Manfred Wirth; J Alfred Witjes; Quoc-Dien Trinh Journal: Eur Urol Date: 2019-09-26 Impact factor: 20.096