Springfield Clinic's hematology & oncology practice receives quality certification

[May 23, 2012]  SPRINGFIELD -- The hematology and oncology department at Springfield Clinic has achieved certification from the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative, or QOPI, an oncologist-led, practice-based quality improvement program created by the American Society of Clinical Oncologists.

The hematology and oncology group at Springfield Clinic is one of just seven medical facilities in Illinois to achieve QOPI certification --- and the first and only practice in downstate Illinois to do so.

"This certification is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the quality we as a department strive for every day," said Diana Willadsen, M.D., specialist in hematology and oncology. "It is beneficial to patients, who can see that our group has met the independent standards of this certified agency and can feel an even greater sense of trust in our ability to care for them."

QOPI is a voluntary self-assessment and improvement program launched by the American Society of Clinical Oncologists in 2006 to help hematology-oncology and medical oncology practices assess the quality of the care they provide to patients. The QOPI program provides a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet standards for quality cancer care.

The intensive application process the clinic went through involved the documentation of provider and nursing credentials, as well as a thorough review of patient chart information for treatment of various types of cancer and end-of-life care. Following the application process, QOPI officials conducted an on-site visit to interview staff, inspect charts and review departmental functions and processes.

QOPI compares individual practice data with more than 80 evidence-based and consensus quality measures. The results are reported back to the participating practice, enabling the doctors to compare their performance with other practices across the country. The feedback helps the practice identify opportunities for improvement.

"QOPI is an organization with rigorous standards based on national best practices," said Dr. Willadsen. "This top honor for oncology quality clearly supports our mission, which is to provide the highest quality care possible to our patients."

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Springfield Clinic is a progressive, physician-led multi-specialty medical group, devoted to providing the highest quality health care to its patients. With more than 350 physicians and midlevel providers practicing in nearly 80 medical specialties and sub-specialties, Springfield Clinic serves a population of nearly 1 million patients throughout the central Illinois region. As one of the largest private, multi-specialty medical clinics in Illinois, Springfield Clinic currently employs over 2,000 clinical and administrative staff members who are committed to leadership in quality, service and technology. For more information, go to www.springfieldclinic.com.

[Text from file received from Springfield Clinic]