The Murfreesboro Post
Tennessee Oncology has been recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification Program as a practice committed to delivering the highest quality in cancer care, company officials announced Tuesday.
The certification programs certifies community hematology-oncology practices that meet or exceed the highest national quality standards for cancer care.
The initiative is a voluntary, self-assessment and improvement program launched by the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2006 to help medical oncology practices measure the quality and safety of the care being provided to patients.
Through the program, participating practices abstract data from patient records on an annual to semi-annual basis and enter this information into a secure database. Participating practices receive individual reports to identify areas for improvement, areas where progress has been achieved, and how performance compares to other practices across the country.
Oncologists can achieve certification by demonstrating practice consistent with the highest standards of care. The seal designates those practices that not only scored high on key quality measures, but meet rigorous safety measures established by the association and the Oncology Nursing Society.
“Tennessee Oncology puts patients first,” said Dr. Jeffery Patton, chief executive officer of Tennessee Oncology. “We strive to demonstrate that commitment by pursuing excellence in cancer care, in effort to deliver the highest quality of care to our community. Participation in the certification program helps us assess the care we provide our patients, which often leads to fundamental changes in the way we practice, providing us with the ability to continuously improve the quality of care we deliver.”
Tennessee Oncology, which was one of the first in the state to become certified, has participated in the program since 2009 and achieved certification in August 2011.
