JCO Early Release, published online ahead of print Sep 28 2009
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 10.1200/JCO.2009.25.1264
Received July 17, 2009
Accepted August 26, 2009
American Society of Clinical Oncology/Oncology Nursing Society Chemotherapy Administration Safety Standards
Joseph O. Jacobson, Martha Polovich, Kristen K. McNiff,* Kristine B. LeFebvre, Charmaine Cummings, Michele Galioto, Katherine R. Bonelli, and Michele R. McCorkle
From the North Shore Cancer Center, Salem, MA; Duke Oncology Network, Durham, NC; American Society of Clinical Oncology, Alexandria, VA; and Oncology Nursing Society, Pittsburgh, PA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kristen.mcniff{at}asco.org
Standardization of care can reduce the risk of errors, increase efficiency, and provide a framework for best practice. In 2008, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) invited a broad range of stakeholders to create a set of standards for the administration of chemotherapy to adult patients in the outpatient setting. At the close of a full-day structured workshop, 64 draft standards were proposed. After a formal process of electronic voting and conference calls, 29 draft standards were eliminated, resulting in a final list of 35 draft measures. The proposed set of standards was posted for 6 weeks of open public comment. Three hundred twenty-two comments were reviewed by the Steering Group and used as the basis for final editing to a final set of standards. The final list includes 31 standards encompassing seven domains, which include the following: review of clinical information and selection of a treatment regimen; treatment planning and informed consent; ordering of treatment; drug preparation; assessment of treatment compliance; administration and monitoring; assessment of response and toxicity monitoring. Adherence to ASCO and ONS standards for safe chemotherapy administration should be a goal of all providers of adult cancer care.