Background

 

Background of the OECI Accreditation Programme

In 2002, the OECI launched a study to create an Accreditation Programme to fulfil the following main goals:
  • To provide cancer patients within Europe an equal access to high quality of cancer care.
  • Helping European cancer institutes to implement a quality system for oncology care using the OECI standards and peer review system.

After 6 years of work, the Programme formally started on October 2008.
 
Peer review
A peer review is defined as a planned visit by a team of professionals working in relation with cancer care: medical specialists, nurses, quality managers, pathologists, radiotherapists, microbiologists, directors etc. They will examine different fields of oncological care: general management, prevention, patient care, health education, research and new developments. The evaluation is based on the filled out web based electronic questionnaires.
 
The aim of the peer review is to improve the quality of multidisciplinary oncological care delivered in Cancer Institutes, to give feedback of the results of the visit and formulate recommendations for improvement. The peer review process in Cancer Centres aligns the actual developments.

Background of the OECI Designation

The developments in accreditation have urged the OECI to develop and implement an additional system in which European cancer institutes may also be designated. Such a system creates a platform in which synchronization and benchmarking of cancer activities will be possible on an international scale. Additionally, the designation is a tool for cancer institutes to ensure and improve their quality level.
The instrument for the designation of (cancer) institutes. has been validated through a pilot project. Thirty-eight European institutes took part in the pilot. The designation instrument was approved by the OECI General Assembly in Budapest (June 2010).
 
From September 2010 onwards, the designation and accreditation are integrated in one Programme.
 
By making an effort to gain a designation status, the organisation is stimulated to disseminate knowledge and to form coalitions with other institutes in Europe that are also designated. This allows cancer institutes to benefit from one another and to reach to a critical mass in cancer services.

Definitions of the designation categories

Clinical Cancer Centre (ClCC)
It is characterised by the clinical capacity covering a sufficient degree of all medical, surgical and radiotherapy services and occasionally a limited degree of clinical research.
Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC)
It is hard to define as many different interpretations of a CCC already exist. Based on available information and many definitions on the concept of a CCC, the following features are considered to be essential for this particular category:
  • A highly innovative character and multidisciplinary approach using the potential of basic, translational and clinical research and clinical facilities and activities, organized in a sufficiently identifiable entity,
  • A direct provision of an extensive variety of cancer care tailored to the individual patient's needs and directed towards learning and improving the professional, organisational and relational quality of care,
  • Broad activities in the area of prevention, education, and external dissemination of knowledge and innovation. In order to accentuate the differences with other cancer centres, a CCC separates itself by the following points:
    • High level of infrastructure, expertise and innovation in the field of oncology research,
    • Maintenance of an extensive network including all aspects of oncology treatment and research,
    • Related to an academic/university centre or is an academic centre.