The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has launched a national pilot study that will promote evidence-based evaluation and treatment standards for patients with resectable non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
According to the ACS, the pilot study for the ProvenCare® Lung Cancer Collaborative is based on the Geisinger Health System’s ProvenCare model, which has increased adherence to evidence-based standards, improved clinical outcomes, and engaged patients as participants in their own care when applied to acute care episodes associated with other disease sites. This is the first time the model has been applied to a population of patients undergoing lung resection for NSCLC.
The model promotes a specific care pathway of 38 standard elements for patients from preoperative to postoperative care to be followed by treatment teams at six CoC-accredited institutions, including Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pa; University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle; Northshore University Medical Center, Evanston, Ill; Northwestern University Medical Center, Chicago; Kern Medical Center, Bakersfield, Calif; and Duke Raleigh Hospital, Raleigh, NC.
Participating treatment teams commit to providing all 38 care pathway steps to ensure patients receive the highest standard of care. Institutions also must provide resources for a collaborative Web-based data entry process and data abstraction capabilities.
Patients in the study participate by making a commitment to communicate with members of their surgical team; getting their family or loved ones involved in their treatment plan; and completing important care steps outlined to them by their health care providers.
The pilot study plans to accrue a population of 1,000 patients and run for a minimum of 12 months.
Source: American College of Surgeons
