Improving the Quality of Cancer Care in Community Hospitals

Thomas C Tucker; Mary E Charlton; Mary C Schroeder; Jason Jacob; Cheri L Tolle; B Mark Evers; Timothy W Mullett

doi:10.1245/s10434-020-08867-y

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Improving the Quality of Cancer Care in Community Hospitals

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Improving the Quality of Cancer Care in Community Hospitals

Thomas C Tucker, Mary E Charlton, Mary C Schroeder, Jason Jacob, Cheri L Tolle, B Mark Evers and Timothy W Mullett

Annals of surgical oncology, Vol.28(2), pp.632-638

02/2021

DOI: 10.1245/s10434-020-08867-y

PMCID: PMC7854809

PMID: 32712893

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/7854809View

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Abstract

Cancer patients treated in community hospitals receive less guideline-recommended care and experience poorer outcomes than those treated in academic medical centers or National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers. The Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network (MCCAN) was designed to address this issue in Kentucky, the state with the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the U.S. Using data obtained from the Kentucky Cancer Registry, the study evaluated the impact of patients treated in MCCAN hospitals on four evidence-based Commission on Cancer (CoC) quality measures using a before-and-after matched-cohort study design. Each group included 13 hospitals matched for bed size, cancer patient volume, community population, and region (Appalachian vs. non-Appalachian). Compliance with quality measures was assessed for the 3 years before the hospital joined MCCAN (T1) and the 3 years afterward (T2). In T1, the control hospitals demonstrated greater compliance with two quality measures than the MCCAN hospitals. In T2, the MCCAN hospitals achieved greater compliance in three measures than the control hospitals. From T1 to T2, the MCCAN hospitals significantly increased compliance on three measures (vs. 1 measure for the control hospitals). Although most of the hospitals were not accredited by the CoC in T1, 92% of the MCCAN hospitals had achieved accreditation by the end of T2 compared with 23% of the control hospitals. After the MCCAN hospitals joined the Network, their compliance with quality measures and achievement of CoC accreditation increased significantly compared with the control hospitals. The unique academic/community-collaboration model provided by MCCAN was able to make a significant impact on improvement of cancer care. Future research is needed to adapt and evaluate similar interventions in other states and regions.

Accreditation

Cancer Care Facilities

Cohort Studies

Hospitals, Community

Humans

National Cancer Institute (U.S.)

Neoplasms - epidemiology

Neoplasms - therapy

United States

Details

Title: Subtitle: Improving the Quality of Cancer Care in Community Hospitals
Creators: Thomas C Tucker - Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. thomas.tucker@uky.edu
Mary E Charlton - Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Mary C Schroeder - Division of Health Services Research, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Jason Jacob - Markey Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Cheri L Tolle - Markey Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
B Mark Evers - Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Timothy W Mullett - Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Annals of surgical oncology, Vol.28(2), pp.632-638
DOI: 10.1245/s10434-020-08867-y
PMID: 32712893
PMCID: PMC7854809
NLM abbreviation: Ann Surg Oncol
ISSN: 1068-9265
eISSN: 1534-4681
Grant note: P30 CA177558 / NCI NIH HHS P30 CA086862 / NCI NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/2021
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Pharmacy Practice and Science
Record Identifier: 9984214821102771

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