ABSTRACT
Objective
The implementation of clinical quality indicators for monitoring cancer care in regional, rural and remote areas.
Design
Retrospective data from a population-based Clinical Quality Registry for lung, colorectal, and breast cancer.
Setting
All major Health Services in the Barwon South Western Region, Victoria, Australia.
Participants
All patients diagnosed with cancer presenting to a Health Service Intervention(s)
Main Outcome Measures(s)
Clinical Quality Indicators for Lung, Colorectal and Breast Cancer
Results
Clinical indicators included the following: discussion at multidisciplinary meetings, timeliness of care provided, type of care for different stages of the disease and survival outcomes. Many of the derived clinical indicator targets were reached. However, variation led to improvement in tumour stage being recorded in the medical record; improved awareness of the need for adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer; a reduction in time to treatment for lung cancer; reduced time to surgery for breast cancer; and highlighted the 30 day mortality post treatment for all of the tumour streams.
Conclusions
Clinical quality indicators allow for valuable insights into patterns of care, driving improvement in the quality of cancer care. These indicators are easily reproduced and may be of use to other cancer centres and health services.
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