OREANDA-NEWS. March 22, 2013. Illinois Cancer Specialists (ICS) announced that it has been recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), for providing quality cancer care to patients in the Chicago area. The QOPI® Certification Program (QCP) provides a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet the highest standards for quality cancer care as determined by the QOPI guidelines.

Illinois Cancer Specialists, an independent cancer care practice that is united in healing with The US Oncology Network, is an 18-physician oncology and hematology practice dedicated to providing convenient, compassionate and leading-edge patient care. ICS has been recognized with QOPI Certification in Chicago, Niles, and Arlington Heights.

“Illinois Cancer Specialists is committed to establishing a culture of excellence,” said David Hakimian, M.D., medical oncologist and hematologist, ICS. “QOPI Certification is a confirmation that we are providing the highest standard of care to our patients. We’re honored to receive it.”

“Cancer patients and their families should expect nothing less than accountability and the highest standards from their cancer care providers,” said Allen S. Lichter, MD, CEO of ASCO and President of the QOPI Certification Program. “QOPI participation reflects a commitment to quality of care that leads to fundamental changes in the clinical practice of oncology. Oncology practices that commit to quality and safety are those that provide the most optimal cancer care. The Certification Program helps practices determine whether they are providing the best treatment and care possible to their patients, and demonstrates a commitment to excellence and ongoing quality improvement in the hematology-oncology outpatient practice.”

The QOPI Certification Program was launched in January 2010. This certification for outpatient oncology practices is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States. Oncologists can achieve certification by demonstrating practice consistent with the highest standards of care as set by the QOPI guidelines. The QCP seal designates those practices that scored high on the key QOPI quality measures and meet rigorous safety measures established by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).

QOPI analyzes individual practice data and compares these to more than 100 evidence-based and consensus quality measures. The information is provided in reports to participating practices. Individual practices can compare their performance to data from other practices across the country. Based on this feedback, doctors and practices can identify areas for improvement. 

To become certified, a practice must have an evaluation of its entire practice and documentation standards. The QCP staff and steering group members verify that the evaluation and documents are correct and that the practice meets core standards in all areas of treatment, including:

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.

Illinois Cancer Specialists provides Chicago area patients with advanced, comprehensive, compassionate cancer care. ICS employs the latest technologies and drug therapies to ensure patients receive high-quality care for their particular diagnosis in a collaborative, comprehensive setting. ICS treatment centers feature outpatient treatment and diagnostic facilities including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, positron emission tomography (PET), computerized tomography (CT), stem cell transplant, clinical research, laboratory, x-ray studies and specialized pharmaceuticals. Illinois Cancer Specialists serves the communities in and around the Chicago area with five locations including Hinsdale, Bolingbrook, Arlington Heights, Chicago and Niles. The Hinsdale and Bolingbrook locations are currently working toward QOPI Certification, which is expected to complete this year.