Cancer Care Ontario’s Surgical Oncology Program (SOP) works to continually improve the quality and accessibility of cancer surgery across Ontario. Cancer Care Ontario is a partner in the Ontario government’s Wait Time Strategy, and is responsible for directing and managing funding for additional cancer surgeries. And, since cancer surgery is performed at both academic and community hospitals, we engage practice surgeons in both planning and quality improvement initiatives.
Quality & Access Improvement Strategy
Identifying areas for quality and access improvement strategies/projects
- Work with surgeons to identify knowledge gaps and problems in the organization and delivery of services
- Develop indicators to measure outcomes
- Audit practice using administrative, clinical and pathology data
- Foster the development of innovative and independent research into cancer surgery
Developing evidence-based and consensus-driven guidelines and standards
- Partner with the Program in Evidence-Based Care
Initiating knowledge transfer strategies/projects
- Foster Communities of Practice by engaging surgeons to discuss quality issues
- Support local champions and opinion leaders
- Engag managers and physicians in quality projects
- Develop knowledge tools
- Link participation to professional development
Creating and supporting strategic funding initiatives (Cancer Surgery Agreements) to support quality and accessibility improvement strategies
- Link surgery volume funding to participation in quality & access improvement projects
- SOP works to ensure appropriate remuneration, (eg: Specialty Review Funding (SRF) and Alternate Funding Plans (AFP)) for surgical oncologists throughout the province
Measuring and providing feedback on performance indicators
Access to Care and Wait Times Strategy
The Cancer Surgery Wait Times initiative (part of Ontario’s Wait Time Strategy) has funded over 12,000 incremental cancer surgeries over the last three years. Most Cancer Surgery Agreement (CSA) hospitals have attained a 90% level of performance with regard to the number of cancer surgeries completed. Cancer surgery wait times have steadily improved since the province first began to publicly report wait times in August 2005.
As a result of the strategy, the province has the first ever system to measure, monitor and manage cancer surgery wait times.
Surgical Oncology Program Staff
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