More than ever, quality measures are important to monitor, track, and improve upon. While every organization is unique and will need to tailor quality and safety goals to their situation, below are practical strategies that cancer programs can deploy to position themselves for a successful pandemic recovery.
» Maintain infection control policies adopted during the pandemic (e.g., routine testing requirements, mandated PPE use).
» Establish criteria to guide future determination of when and how to relax pandemic-state infection control and other safety efforts.
» Anticipate volume surges during program recovery and avoid overwhelming the system during this period. Prioritize planning work (e.g., forecasting patient demand, adopting triage protocols).
» Don’t reinvent the wheel on quality and safety plans. Use protocols established by reputable associations (ASCO, ASoS) to guide patient management.
» Continue to monitor and track key quality indicators and determine the need for additional metrics specific to COVID-19.
This is part of the COVID-19 oncology response series from ECG Management Consultants. For more information, visit ECG’s website.
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