Disseminating Patient-Driven Standards for Quality Cancer Survivorship Care

There is a growing population of cancer survivors in the United States that is predicted to increase by 30 percent in the next 10 years (ACS, 2016). This population has unmet needs (IOM, 2005). There is also a documented lack of coordination and communication between primary care and oncology providers (Klabunde et al., 2017). While providers are interested in care coordination, there is a lack of available tools and trainings to support quality cancer survivorship care (Dossett et al., 2017).

The PCORI-funded study “Evaluating Cancer Survivorship Models of Care” resulted in a Survivorship Care Quality Index (SCQI) that helps providers develop, assess, and track patient-centered, high-quality survivorship care. The SCQI provides a holistic inventory of quality care services that help providers optimize the limited time available in a clinical encounter. The project team will leverage its existing relationships with Comprehensive Cancer Control (CCC) Coalitions to disseminate and facilitate implementation of the SCQI in order to improve the quality of survivorship care. 

The long-term objective of this project is to increase quality cancer survivorship care in the United States through the dissemination of the SCQI. To accomplish this, the following aims will be met: 

• Increase the reach of evidence of quality survivorship care through the creation and dissemination of: one provider-facing toolkit that will include the SCQI, directions for use, tip sheets, and existing evidence-based resources to support improvements in quality care; and a CE-accredited module for the Cancer Survivorship E-Learning Series showcasing the toolkit and how it can help improve the quality of cancer survivorship care. 
• Increase the ability of clinicians and healthcare organizations to use the SCQI to improve quality care by facilitating four CE-accredited, in-person workshops in collaboration with CCC coalitions. 
• Increase motivation to apply evidence by connecting trainees to a private online forum for continued engagement outside of the online and live training to facilitate peer-to-peer learning, share challenges and lessons learned, and report on progress in implementing the SCQI to elevate quality survivorship care in diverse settings. 

The project team will work with its Community Advisory Board (CAB) throughout the project to develop and disseminate the SCQI toolkit and CE-accredited online module, conduct in-person workshops, and engage learners in a private online forum to encourage peer-to-peer learning among trainees. 

The project is designed to achieve all three key outcomes of the Eugene Washington Engagement Award Dissemination Initiative, leading to the long-term outcome of increased quality survivorship care and ultimate impact of improved quality of life among cancer survivors. Outcomes will be achieved through the following outputs: 10,000 downloads of the SCQI Toolkit; 200 oncology and primary care providers complete module; 200 providers complete an in-person workshop; and of the 400 providers reached, 100 participate in a private online forum. 

GWCC’s CAB for this project will be comprised of CAB members from the CER study that led to results disseminated in the proposed project as well as representatives from CCC coalitions. The CAB will meet with the project team regularly (10 times a year) and work closely with the team to translate the SCQI through toolkit and module content, and develop evaluation instruments to measure dissemination and impact. Dissemination partners will include the American Cancer Society, the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, CancerCare, and CCC Coalitions.