Implementation and Efficacy of a Large-Scale Radiation Oncology Case-Based Peer-Review Quality Program across a...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Quality Assurance

Background:

• Academic cancer center networks require consistent, high-quality care across dispersed sites.
• Implementing effective quality assurance (QA) systems is crucial for multinational cancer networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the characteristics and efficacy of a radiation oncology peer-review QA system.
• To assess the impact of this QA system on care quality within a large-scale multinational cancer network.

Main Methods:

• A weekly, case-based peer-review QA program for radiation oncologists was established in 2014.
• The virtual QA platform involved subspecialized faculty reviewing radiotherapy plans and supporting patient data.
• Concordance with guidelines and expert judgment was assessed for 16,601 plans between 2014 and 2019.

Main Results:

• A total of 16,601 radiotherapy plans were reviewed across 8 network centers from 2014-2019.
• The overall nonconcordance rate was 4.5%, with head-and-neck cases showing the highest rates (11.0%).
• Newly affiliated centers demonstrated a significant annual decrease in nonconcordance (3.1%), while established centers remained stable.

Conclusions:

• A standardized, network-based peer-review QA platform facilitates multinational radiation oncology care.
• Network membership positively impacts cancer care quality, evidenced by improved concordance rates in new affiliates.
• This QA system ensures consistent, high-quality radiotherapy delivery across geographically dispersed cancer network sites.