Quality Care in Survivorship: Lessons Learned From the ASCO Quality Oncology Practice Initiative

The ASCO Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) project was established to evaluate the influence of guideline recommendations on routine clinical practice.

QOPI provided summary data from 839 unique practices in which data were collected every six months from the Fall of 2015 to the Spring of 2019. From these data, six items were chosen based on their relationship to domains of survivorship. A zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was used to test for trends in QOPI measures adherence rates over time. The models were adjusted for the time period, region, practice-ownership, multispecialty site, fellowship program, and hospital type.

Smoking cessation counseling recommended and smoking cessation counseling administered or referred both increased over time, 50%-61% (adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR), 1.028; 95% CI, 1.016 to 1.040; P < .001) and 34%-49% (adjusted IRR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.035 to 1.070; P < .001), respectively. Infertility risks discussed before chemotherapy increased from 36% to 53% (adjusted IRR, 1.056; 95% CI, 1.035 to 1.078; P < .001) and fertility options discussed or referred to specialists increased from 23% to 38% (adjusted IRR, 1.074; 95% CI, 1.046 to 1.102; P < .001). Twenty-nine percent documented a positron emission tomography, computed tomography, or bone scan within the first 12 months for women diagnosed with early breast cancer treated for curative intent (adjusted IRR, 1.000; 95% CI, 0.977 to 1.024; P = .971). Tumor marker surveillance within 12 months increased from 78% to 87% (adjusted IRR, 1.018; 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.033; P = .023).

As scientific evidence to guide cancer survivorship care grows, the role of guideline recommendations permeating clinical practice using quality metrics will become increasingly important.