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Malicki J, Castro CL, Fundowicz M, Krengli M, Llacer-Moscardo C, Curcean S, Montplet CM, Carvalho L, Konstanty E, Barragan TH, Pisani C, Laszlo I, Garau MM, Kruszyna-Mochalska M, Lencart J, Zwierzchowska D, Serrano AR, Brezae A, Varela EL, Milecki P, Zannetti M, Coza O, Gonzalez E, Beldì D, Guedea F. IROCA-TES: Improving Quality in Radiation Oncology through Clinical Audits - Training and Education for Standardization. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2023; 28:429-432. [PMID: 37795403 PMCID: PMC10547405 DOI: 10.5603/rpor.a2023.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clinical audits are an important tool to objectively assess clinical protocols, procedures, and processes and to detect deviations from good clinical practice. The main aim of this project is to determine adherence to a core set of consensus- based quality indicators and then to compare the institutions in order to identify best practices. Materials and methods We conduct a multicentre, international clinical audit of six comprehensive cancer centres in Poland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, and Romania as a part of the project, known as IROCATES (Improving Quality in Radiation Oncology through Clinical Audits - Training and Education for Standardization). Results Radiotherapy practice varies from country to country, in part due to historical, economic, linguistic, and cultural differences. The institutions developed their own processes to suit their existing clinical practice. Conclusions We believe that this study will contribute to establishing the value of routinely performing multi-institutional clinical audits and will lead to improvement of radiotherapy practice at the participating centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Malicki
- Electroradiology Department, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Carla Lopes Castro
- Department of Radiotherapy, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, Portugal
| | | | - Marco Krengli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, Novara, Italy
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Sebastian Curcean
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carles Muñoz Montplet
- Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Luisa Carvalho
- Department of Radiotherapy, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, Portugal
| | - Ewelina Konstanty
- Medical Physics Department, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Tania Hernandez Barragan
- Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Carla Pisani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, Novara, Italy
| | - Istvan Laszlo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Miquel Macià Garau
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Kruszyna-Mochalska
- Electroradiology Department, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Medical Physics Department, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Joana Lencart
- Medical Physics Service & Medical Physics, Radiobiology and Radiation Protection Group CI-IPOP, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto
| | | | | | | | - Eva Loureiro Varela
- Department of Information Systems, Catalan Institute of Oncology, (ICO) Barcelona, Spain
| | - Piotr Milecki
- Electroradiology Department, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Radiotherapy Ward I, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Micol Zannetti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, Novara, Italy
| | - Ovidiu Coza
- Department of Radiotherapy with High Energies and Brachytherapy, Oncology Institute “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta”, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Eva Gonzalez
- Department of Processes & Quality Management, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Debora Beldì
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, Novara, Italy
| | - Ferran Guedea
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
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Mohanti B, Munshi A, Tharmar G, Sarkar B. Audit of radiation oncology practice: Lessons from a new private hospital in Delhi, India. J Cancer Res Ther 2022; 18:1469-1473. [DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_87_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Lopes de Castro C, Fundowicz M, Roselló A, Jové J, Deantonio L, Aguiar A, Pisani C, Villà S, Boladeras A, Konstanty E, Kruszyna-Mochalska M, Milecki P, Jurado-Bruggeman D, Lencart J, Modolell I, Muñoz-Montplet C, Aliste L, Torras MG, Puigdemont M, Carvalho L, Krengli M, Guedea F, Malicki J. Results of the IROCA international clinical audit in prostate cancer radiotherapy at six comprehensive cancer centres. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12323. [PMID: 34112863 PMCID: PMC8192927 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91723-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To assess adherence to standard clinical practice for the diagnosis and treatment of patients undergoing prostate cancer (PCa) radiotherapy in four European countries using clinical audits as part of the international IROCA project. Multi-institutional, retrospective cohort study of 240 randomly-selected patients treated for PCa (n = 40/centre) in the year 2015 at six European hospitals. Clinical indicators applicable to general and PCa-specific radiotherapy processes were evaluated. All data were obtained directly from medical records. The audits were performed in the year 2017. Adherence to clinical protocols and practices was satisfactory, but with substantial inter-centre variability in numerous variables, as follows: staging MRI (range 27.5-87.5% of cases); presentation to multidisciplinary tumour board (2.5-100%); time elapsed between initial visit to the radiation oncology department and treatment initiation (42-102.5 days); number of treatment interruptions ≥ 1 day (7.5-97.5%). The most common deviation from standard clinical practice was inconsistent data registration, mainly failure to report data related to diagnosis, treatment, and/or adverse events. This clinical audit detected substantial inter-centre variability in adherence to standard clinical practice, most notably inconsistent record keeping. These findings confirm the value of performing clinical audits to detect deviations from standard clinical practices and procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Lopes de Castro
- Instituto Português de Oncologia, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil-Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | | | | | - Josep Jové
- Institut Català d'Oncologia, Badalona, Spain
| | - Letizia Deantonio
- Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UNIUPO), Novara, Italy
| | - Artur Aguiar
- Instituto Português de Oncologia, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla Pisani
- Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UNIUPO), Novara, Italy
| | | | - Anna Boladeras
- Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Marta Kruszyna-Mochalska
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Milecki
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | - Luisa Aliste
- Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Marco Krengli
- Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UNIUPO), Novara, Italy
| | - Ferran Guedea
- Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julian Malicki
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
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Fundowicz M, Aguiar A, de Castro CL, Torras MG, Deantonio L, Konstanty E, Kruszyna-Mochalska M, Macia M, Canals E, Caro M, Pisani C, Zwierzchowska D, Molero J, Eraso A, Lencart J, Muñoz-Montplet C, Carvalho L, Krengli M, Malicki J, Guedea F. Multicentre clinical radiotherapy audit in rectal cancer: results of the IROCA project. Radiat Oncol 2020; 15:208. [PMID: 32854730 PMCID: PMC7453535 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-020-01648-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To perform a clinical audit to assess adherence to standard clinical practice for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients undergoing radiotherapy for rectal cancer treatment in four European countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS Multi-institutional, retrospective cohort study of 221 patients treated for rectal cancer in 2015 at six European cancer centres. Clinical indicators applicable to general radiotherapy processes were evaluated. All data were obtained from electronic medical records. RESULTS The audits were performed in the year 2017. We found substantial inter-centre variability in adherence to standard clinical practices: 1) presentation of cases at departmental clinical sessions (range, 0-100%) or multidisciplinary tumour board (50-95%); 2) pretreatment MRI (61.5-100%) and thoracoabdominal CT (15.0-100%). Large inter-centre differences were observed in the mean interval between biopsy and first visit to the radiotherapy department (range, 21.6-58.6 days) and between the first visit and start of treatment (15.1-38.8 days). Treatment interruptions ≥ 1 day occurred in 43.9% (2.5-90%) of cases overall. Treatment compensation was performed in 2.1% of cases. Treatment was completed in the prescribed time in 55.7% of cases. CONCLUSIONS This multi-institutional clinical audit revealed that most centres adhered to standard clinical practices for most of the radiotherapy processes-related variables assessed. However, the audit revealed marked inter-centre variability for certain quality indicators, particularly inconsistent record keeping. Multiple targets for improvement and/or harmonisation were identified, confirming the value of routine clinical audits to detect potential deviations from standard clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Artur Aguiar
- Instituto Português de Oncologia; do Porto FG, EPE (IPO-Porto), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla Lopes de Castro
- Instituto Português de Oncologia; do Porto FG, EPE (IPO-Porto), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Glòria Torras
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, L’Hospitalet, Avinguda Granvia de l’Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Letizia Deantonio
- “Amedeo Avogadro” - Rettorato, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UNIUPO), via Duomo, 6 - 13100 Vercelli, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Marta Kruszyna-Mochalska
- Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Garbary 15 St, 61-866 Poznan, Poland
- Deparment of Electroradiology, University of Medical Sciences, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Miquel Macia
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, L’Hospitalet, Avinguda Granvia de l’Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eugeni Canals
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, Avinguda de França, S/N 17007, Girona, Spain
| | - Monica Caro
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, Ctra. Canyet s/n 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Carla Pisani
- “Amedeo Avogadro” - Rettorato, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UNIUPO), via Duomo, 6 - 13100 Vercelli, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Jaume Molero
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, Ctra. Canyet s/n 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Arantxa Eraso
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, L’Hospitalet, Avinguda Granvia de l’Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joana Lencart
- Instituto Português de Oncologia; do Porto FG, EPE (IPO-Porto), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carles Muñoz-Montplet
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, L’Hospitalet, Avinguda Granvia de l’Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luisa Carvalho
- Instituto Português de Oncologia; do Porto FG, EPE (IPO-Porto), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marco Krengli
- “Amedeo Avogadro” - Rettorato, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UNIUPO), via Duomo, 6 - 13100 Vercelli, Novara, Italy
| | - Julian Malicki
- Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Garbary 15 St, 61-866 Poznan, Poland
- Deparment of Electroradiology, University of Medical Sciences, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Ferran Guedea
- Institut Català d’Oncologia, L’Hospitalet, Avinguda Granvia de l’Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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Torras MG, Canals E, Muñoz-Montplet C, Vidal A, Jurado D, Eraso A, Villà S, Caro M, Molero J, Macià M, Puigdemont M, González-Muñoz E, López A, Guedea F, Borras JM. Improving quality of care and clinical outcomes for rectal cancer through clinical audits in a multicentre cancer care organisation. Radiat Oncol 2020; 15:28. [PMID: 32005123 PMCID: PMC6995177 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-020-1465-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Colorectal cancer treatment requires a complex, multidisciplinary approach. Because of the potential variability, monitoring through clinical audits is advisable. This study assesses the effects of a quality improvement action plan in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and treated with radiotherapy. Methods Comparative, multicentre study in two cohorts of 120 patients each, selected randomly from patients diagnosed with rectal cancer who had initiated radiotherapy with a curative intent. Based on the results from a baseline clinical audit in 2013, a quality improvement action plan was designed and implemented; a second audit in 2017 evaluated its impact. Results Standardised information was present on 77.5% of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) staging reports. Treatment strategies were similar in all three study centres. Of the patients whose treatment was interrupted, just 9.7% received a compensation dose. There was an increase in MRI re-staging from 32.5 to 61.5%, and a significant decrease in unreported circumferential resection margins following neoadjuvant therapy (ypCRM), from 34.5 to 5.6% (p < 0.001). Conclusions The comparison between two clinical audits showed improvements in neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer patients. Some indicators reveal areas in need of additional efforts, for example to reduce the overall treatment time.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Torras
- Clinical Management Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - E Canals
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - C Muñoz-Montplet
- Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - A Vidal
- Quality and Results Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - D Jurado
- Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - A Eraso
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - S Villà
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Badalona, Spain
| | - M Caro
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Badalona, Spain
| | - J Molero
- Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - M Macià
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Hospitalet del Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Puigdemont
- Hospital Tumor Registry, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - E González-Muñoz
- Quality and Results Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Girona, Spain
| | - A López
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Hospitalet del Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Guedea
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J M Borras
- Department of Clinical Sciences, IDIBELL, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Guevara M, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Puigdemont M, Minicozzi P, Yanguas-Bayona I, Porras-Povedano M, Rubió-Casadevall J, Sánchez Pérez MJ, Marcos-Gragera R, Ardanaz E. Disparities in the management of cutaneous malignant melanoma. A population-based high-resolution study. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2019; 28:e13043. [PMID: 30993764 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Population-based cancer registry data from three Spanish areas were used to assess the patterns of care and adherence to guidelines for cutaneous malignant melanoma. We included 934 cases diagnosed in 2009-2013. Completeness of the pathology reports, imaging for detecting distant metastasis and the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) were analysed. The proportion of pathology reports that mentioned the essential pathological features required for T staging was 93%, ranging across geographic areas from 81% to 98% (p < 0.001). The percentage of low-risk patients who underwent no imaging studies, as proposed by guidelines, or only chest imaging ranged among areas from 0.6% to 84% (p < 0.001). Of the patients with clinically node-negative melanoma >1 mm thick and no distant metastases, 68% underwent SLNB, varying by area from 61% to 78% (p = 0.017). This study revealed wide geographic variation in different aspects of melanoma care. The use of a standardised structured pathology report could strengthen the completeness of reporting. Improvement strategies should also include efforts to reduce overuse of imaging in low-risk patients and to increase the adherence to guidelines recommendations on the use of SLNB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Guevara
- Navarra Public Health Institute - IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Rodríguez-Barranco
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Biomedical Research Institute of Granada (ibs.Granada), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Montse Puigdemont
- Epidemiology Unit and Girona Cancer Registry, Descriptive Epidemiology, Genetics and Cancer Prevention Group, IdIbGi, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Pamela Minicozzi
- Analytical Epidemiology and Health Impact Unit, Research Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Jordi Rubió-Casadevall
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Descriptive Epidemiology, Genetics and Cancer Prevention Group, IdIbGi, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - María José Sánchez Pérez
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Biomedical Research Institute of Granada (ibs.Granada), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Rafael Marcos-Gragera
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology Unit and Girona Cancer Registry, Descriptive Epidemiology, Genetics and Cancer Prevention Group, IdIbGi, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Eva Ardanaz
- Navarra Public Health Institute - IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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