Foundations of Quality
Improving cancer care through quality, efficiency and value.
Foundations of Quality is an innovative program that defines and measures the quality of patient care, while at the same time addresses sky-rocketing costs of care and health insurance. This means at Cancer Care Northwest, you get the very best quality of care and outcomes at the most affordable cost.
Foundations of Quality is among the first successful programs of its kind in the nation. It has become a model for other oncology practices throughout the Northwest and nation.
What does Foundations of Quality mean for you?
Effective, evidence-based, patient-centered care.
Extensive use of clinical pathways (standardized paths for treatment). Cancer Care Northwest’s clinical pathways are developed by our physicians based on current literature and national standards. Clinical pathways:
- Assure treatment choices represent the best options available.
- Standardize care so that all of our physicians are on the same page and providing evidence-based treatments.
- Help us measure patient care and hold us accountable for what we do and what we say we will do.
- Promote regularly reviewing of literature to make sure the clinical pathways represent the standard of care.
- Allow for doctors to “opt out” when a pathway choice is not the best for a particular patient due to unique patient factors.
Awareness of the cost of cancer care.
There are multiple treatment options for many types of cancer. While the effectiveness and side effects of these treatments may be similar, the typical cost for the treatments can vary dramatically. When selecting our clinical pathways, we consider the effectiveness of the treatment and the cost, generally choosing the treatment with the lowest cost.
The Foundations of Quality initiative also includes the measurement of important details of clinical cancer care, the measurement and improvement of patient satisfaction, and the incorporation of electronic health records. The program was developed in collaboration with Premera Blue Cross and is recognized by other insurers.