Quality of care in surgical oncology.
BACKGROUND
High-quality health care is safe, effective, efficient, timely, patient-centered, and equitable. A current focus on quality assessment and improvement in oncology care, specifically in surgical oncology, is aimed toward providing optimal health services that consistently fulfill these elements for cancer patients.


METHODS
In surgical oncology, outcomes have historically focused on perioperative morbidity and mortality. To assess care metrics in the United States, we review structural and process measures of quality care in surgical oncology.


RESULTS
Most quality metrics in surgical oncology pertain to structural measures of care such as accreditation, procedure volumes, provider specialization, and multidisciplinary teams. Process measures, such as surgical technique, are also important but are not easily quantified.


CONCLUSIONS
Policy implications of quality metrics in surgical oncology include formal regionalization of care, changes in payment structures, and public reporting. More comprehensive assessments of outcomes are gaining traction in the field of surgical oncology; this shift in focus to the patient's perspective will enhance the quality of care delivered by surgical oncologists.
Matula
Sierra R
SR
Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. smatula@mednet.ucla.edu
Mercado
Cheryl
C
Ko
Clifford Y
CY
Tomlinson
James S
JS
D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends