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The Impact of Implementing Indicators of Quality of Oncological Care on Improving Patient Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Review of Experiences from Countries Using Indicators in the Quality Assessment Process
by
, , , and
Karolina Piekarska
1
,
Piotr Bednarski
1
,
Barbara Politynska
2,
Anna M. Wojtukiewicz
2,
Maciej Krzakowski
3 and
Marek Z. Wojtukiewicz
1,* 1
Department of Oncology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-027 Bialystok, Poland
2
Department of Psychology and Philosophy, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland
3
National Cancer Institute, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Cancers 2025, 17(8), 1362; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17081362
Submission received: 25 February 2025
/
Revised: 15 April 2025
/
Accepted: 16 April 2025
/
Published: 18 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Cancer Survivorship and Quality of Life)
Simple Summary
This review examines the impact of implementing quality indicators (QIs) in oncology care on patient outcomes. Quality indicators are a tool that, depending on the assumptions and strategies adopted, help to monitor a range of factors, including adherence to clinical practice guidelines, timeliness in the diagnostic and therapeutic process, safety of the procedures used, and changes in survival and mortality. The results of the inquiry suggest that despite the existence of significant differences in the healthcare systems analyzed, countries with strong reporting systems have achieved improvements in many areas. These include significant gains in five-year survival rates, earlier diagnoses, and improved treatment protocols. Overall, it may be concluded that the implementation of QIs leads to more effective oncology care, improving both clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Abstract
The implementation of QIs in the pursuit of improving patient outcomes in oncological care has become a primary goal for many countries. The purpose of this cross-sectional review is to present the experiences of several countries that have implemented different strategies in using QIs to assess the quality of cancer care. Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and Israel have been pioneers in integrating QIs into their healthcare systems, which has led to significant improvements in the delivery of care. These indicators help assess adherence to clinical guidelines, timeliness of treatment, safety of practices, and overall patient survival. Data from these countries show that the use of QIs correlates with improved five-year survival rates, earlier diagnosis, better adherence to evidence-based treatment protocols, and increased patient satisfaction. For example, in the Netherlands and Germany, the introduction of quality cancer care programs has led to improved surgical outcomes and overall survival for patients with colorectal cancer. The United Kingdom and Denmark have reported improvements in waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, and in Israel, screening rates for breast and colorectal cancer increased after the introduction of QIs for monitoring these conditions. The current review highlights the fact that countries with robust reporting systems and national cancer registries with high levels of data completeness, such as Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, were able to effectively monitor outcomes and adjust clinical practices accordingly. The findings suggest that implementing QIs in cancer care not only improves clinical outcomes but also promotes accountability and stimulates improved healthcare, ensuring better long-term patient care. This study highlights the value of adopting QIs as a global standard for assessing cancer care.
