title: A ten-year history: the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario.
abstract: One of the longest-established quality oversight organizations in Canadian healthcare, the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario (CQCO) is an advisory group formed in 2002 by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Although quasi-independent from Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), the council was established to provide advice to CCO and the ministry in their efforts to improve the quality of cancer care in the province. The council is composed of a multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers, cancer survivors and experts in the areas of oncology, health system policy and administration, governance, performance measurement and health services research. Its mandate is to monitor and report publicly on the performance of the Ontario cancer system and to motivate improvement through national and international benchmarking. Since its formation, the council has played an evolving role in improving the quality of care received by Ontario cancer patients. This article will briefly describe the origins and founding principles of the CQCO, its changing role in monitoring quality and its relationship with CCO.
authors.affiliation: Director of the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario (CQCO) Secretariat.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anas
authors.affiliation: President and CEO of the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, ON and is chair of the CQCO.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Director of the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Adalsteinn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: President of the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre at Hamilton Health Sciences and Cancer Care Ontario's regional vice president for the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: vice president, clinical programs & quality initiatives and co-chair, clinical council, Cancer Care Ontario.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sawka
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees / Q000266:history*; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000266:history*; D006291:Health Policy; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000266:history*; D012040:Regional Health Planning / Q000266:history*; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000266:history*; D012941:Social Responsibility