The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program continues to expand its reach, certifying the first system within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—the Salisbury VA Health Care System—on October 9.
The system, which includes a main facility—the W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, North Carolina—and two additional health-care centers in Kernersville and Charlotte, North Carolina, respectively, received its 3-year certification after completing the program for outpatient hematology/oncology practices that meet nationally recognized standards for quality cancer care.
The QOPI® Certification Program, which began in 2010, offers specialty certification to outpatient oncology practices demonstrating commitment to quality through the QOPI Certification Program, LLC. Each practice completes a comprehensive, voluntary assessment of its site against specified standards that are consistent with national guidelines. Those practices that earn QOPI® Certification designation have scored well on key QOPI® quality measures and have met chemotherapy safety standards established by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society in areas that include:
- Treatment planning
- Staff training and education
- Chemotherapy orders and drug preparation
- Patient consent and education
- Safe chemotherapy administration
- Monitoring and assessment of patient well-being.
The Salisbury VA Health Care System joins the approximately 300 practices currently holding QOPI® Certification.
QOPI® and the QOPI® Certification Program are projects dedicated to innovative quality improvement programs. For more information, please visit practice.asco.org/quality-improvement/quality-programs/qopi-certification-program. ■
