title: Pioneering quality assessment in European cancer centers: a data analysis of the organization for European cancer institutes accreditation and designation program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to improve the quality of care in Cancer Centers (CC) and designate Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs), the Organization for European Cancer Institutes (OECI) launched an Accreditation and Designation (A&D) program. The program facilitates the collection of defined data and the assessment of cancer center quality. This study analyzes the results of the first 10 European centers that entered the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The assessment included 927 items divided across qualitative and quantitative questionnaires. Data collected during self-assessment and peer-review from the 10 first participating centers were combined in a database for comparative analysis using simple statistics. Quantitative and qualitative results were validated by auditors during the peer review visits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Volumes of various functions and activities dedicated to care, research, and education varied widely among centers. There were no significant differences in resources for radiology, radiotherapy, pathologic diagnostic, and surgery. Differences were observed in the use of clinical pathways but not for the practices of holding multidisciplinary team meetings and conforming to guidelines. Regarding human resources, main differences were in the composition and number of supportive care and research staff. All 10 centers applied as CCCs; five obtained the label, and five were designated as CCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The OECI A&D program allows comparisons between centers with regard to management, research, care, education, and designation as CCs or CCCs. Through the peer review system, recommendations for improvements are given. Assessing the added value of the program, as well as research and patient treatment outcomes, is the next step.
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden mahasti.saghatchian@gustaveroussy.fr.
authors.forename: Mahasti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saghatchian
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thonon
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Femke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boomsma
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koot
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Abinaya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Valeriola
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otter
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laranja Pontes
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eoin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ulrik
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ringborg
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tursz
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Integraal Kankercentruum Nederland, Grongingen; Compusense, Voorhout; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institut Jules Bordet; Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, Porto, Portugal; European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Barcelona, Spain; and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Harten
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D019091:Critical Pathways; D005060:Europe; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires