CPQR Programs

Ensuring safe and high quality radiation treatment

Since 2010, CPQR and its partners the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO), the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP), the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) have worked together to drive practice harmonization, improve patient safety, improve quality and support equitable access to care for all Canadians.

CPQR is now a standing committee of the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies (CAPCA). CAPCA is working to sustain the quality improvement advances made over the past decade and reinforce the important connection between the work of CARO, COMP and CAMRT and organizations like CIHI, CAPCA and CPAC that support the broader health system.

As a result of the transition, some programs have been divested to other partners.  See stewardship detail below!

CAPCA

Incident Reporting – Through partnership with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) a National System for Incident Reporting – Radiation Treatment was launched in 2017. CPQR continues to support increased use of the system through engagement with provincial cancer agencies and local radiation treatment programs. Get more information.

Programmatic Quality – Embedded into Accreditation Canada’s Cancer Care Standards in 2017 CPQR’s Quality Assurance Guidelines for Canadian Radiation Treatment Programs describe overarching organizational structures and processes required to assure high quality and safe radiotherapy. CARO is working with the community to ensure this work continues to reflect best practice. Get more information.

Access to Care: Advancing our understanding of variations in equity of access to radiation treatment by assessing utilization across provinces and validating previously developed utilization ratios using a more accurate linked incident-treatment method to help identify and reduce inequities for at risk populations. Get more information.

CARO

Patient Reported Outcomes: Supporting the consistent use of patient reported outcomes (PRO) within specific disease sites for patients being treated with radiation therapy. Get more information.

Patient-Centred Initiatives: CARO’s commitment to high quality patient-centred care is reflected in its new role as steward of the patient-centred programs. CARO’s efforts will further enhance and promote the integration of CPQR’s patient engagement, education and outcome guidance into professional practice across the country. Get more information.

COMP

Technical Quality Control – Hardware and software specific tests included in this suite of technical quality control guidelines provide direction for assuring optimal performance. The Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) is recognized for its collaboration with national stakeholders to develop guidelines that enhance the quality and safety of radiation treatment delivery, and in its role as the new steward of these guidelines will ensure they remain up-to-date and will drive uptake by the Canadian radiation treatment programs. Get more information.

Canadian Big Radiation Treatment Data Initiative (CBRTDI): Supporting the use of common naming systems for radiation treatment prescribing and practice as a first step towards big data analysis. This work will help us measure variability, harmonize treatment practice and, when combined with PRO data, improving patient outcomes. Get more information.