University of Chicago Medicine receives QOPI certification

University of Chicago Medicine receives QOPI certification

July 31, 2015

The Section of Hematology and Oncology and the Outpatient Cancer Center at the University of Chicago Medicine have received certification from the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

QOPI certification -- which lasts for three years, until July 29, 2018 -- is awarded to outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet the highest standards for quality and care delivery to cancer patients. It is an objective, voluntary, comprehensive, on-site assessment process that uses evidence-based standards to make certain a practice meets all requirements.

The QOPI Certification Program (QCP) enables practices to benchmark their performance against QOPI performance thresholds and to implement improved systems. Practices must meet stringent chemotherapy safety standards based on those jointly developed by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society.

"The QOPI journey started over a year ago and achieving this distinction and award speaks volumes of the outstanding care that we provide to our most vulnerable patients," said Chadi Nabhan, MD, associate professor of medicine and medical director of the cancer clinics at the University of Chicago Medicine. "The certification process highlights our commitment to providing outstanding patient care and meeting QOPI core standards with respect to documentation, safe prescribing and administration of chemotherapy, staff training and education, our consent process, and overall patient monitoring."

"This was a tremendous team effort and could not have been done without the amazing dedication and commitment of our collective nursing colleagues, pharmacists, the front desk and support staff, and our hard-working physicians," Nabhan said. "Now that we have achieved QOPI certification, our plan is to exceed these benchmarks to the better well-being of our patients."

The evaluation verifies that practices meet core standards consistent with national guidelines in areas of treatment, including:

  • Treatment planning including goals of therapy, advanced directive, and continue evaluation
  • Staff training and education
  • Chemotherapy orders and drug preparation
  • Patient consent and education about the disease and therapies
  • Safe chemotherapy administration
  • Monitoring and assessment of patient well-being including psychosocial evaluations


"By providing information, quality assessment measures, and resources, QOPI helps oncology practices evaluate the quality of the care they provide to patients and engage in ongoing quality improvement," said ASCO President Julie M. Vose, MD. "Achieving QOPI certification demonstrates a practice's commitment to quality and safety excellence in the care they deliver to patients."

This certification is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States. QOPI analyzes individual practice data and compares these to more than 160 evidence-based and consensus quality measures. Individual practices can then compare their performance to data from other practices across the country.

About the American Society of Clinical Oncology:
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 35,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, which funds ground-breaking research and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of people with cancer. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.

About QOPI Certification Program, LLC
QOPI Certification Program, LLC is an ASCO affiliate dedicated to innovative quality improvement programs for ASCO members and their patients and is committed to providing oncologists with the necessary resources to provide every patient with high-level cancer care.