NCS Named ASCO Certified: Patient-Centered Cancer Care Standards Program Site
Nebraska Cancer Specialists (NCS) has recently earned ASCO Certified® status. ASCO Certified is a patient-centered cancer care standards certification program from the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Achieving this certification demonstrates that Nebraska Cancer Specialists has a strong and enduring commitment to measuring the quality of cancer care delivery and meeting national standards in quality and safety.
ASCO Certified recognizes a select few oncology group practices and health systems that meet a single set of comprehensive, evidence-based Oncology Medical Home (OMH) standards developed by ASCO and the Community Oncology Alliance (COA). These standards focus on seven different domains of cancer care: patient engagement; availability and access to care; evidence-based medicine; comprehensive team-based care; quality improvement; goals of care, palliative, and end-of-life care discussions; and antineoplastic therapy safety. To achieve certification, practices need to meet all care delivery standards and antineoplastic therapy safety standards.
“At Nebraska Cancer Specialists, our focus has always been on providing patients with exceptional cancer care that is safe, coordinated and centered around their individual needs,” said Dr. Joel Michalski, Medical Oncologist/Hematologist and President of NCS. “Earning ASCO Certified status validates the standards our nearly 400 team members work to uphold every day, from timely access and evidence-based treatment to comprehensive, team-based care and ongoing quality improvement. For our patients and their families, this certification provides another level of confidence that the care they receive at NCS meets rigorous national standards while remaining personal, compassionate and close to home.”
NCS will continue to work with ASCO Certification Program surveyors to review quality improvement initiatives, patient satisfaction surveys, and oncology treatment pathways utilization, as well as data on quality measures, such as advance care planning, depression screening, antineoplastic therapy in the last 14 days of life, and pain assessment to maintain certification and demonstrate its continued commitment to providing high-quality cancer care.
“The ASCO Certified program is a vital tool for practices dedicated to providing the best quality cancer care,” said ASCO CEO Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO. “Focusing on patients, it supports the provision of coordinated and evidence-based care and that is why we are thrilled to see this program embraced by the oncology community.”
Visit the ASCO Certified website for more information.
