The patterns of care study: a specialty effort to improve care.
The Patterns of Care Study is a comprehensive ongoing review of radiation therapy practice in the United States. Outcome studies have established national benchmarks for six cancer sites. Analysis of the factors influencing recurrence and complications have established important causal relationships that the radiation oncologist can manipulate to improve results. Care processes have been identified, and outcome correlations established.
D003625:Data Collection; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States