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. 2020 Apr;27(2):e115-e122.
doi: 10.3747/co.27.5873. Epub 2020 May 1.

Organizational guidance for the care of patients with head-and-neck cancer in Ontario

J Irish  1 , J Kim  2 , J Waldron  3 , A C Wei  4 , E Winquist  5 , J Yoo  6 , A Boasie  3   7 , M Brouwers  8 , E Meertens  9 , S McNair  10 , C Walker-Dilks  10 ; Expert Panel on Organizational Guidance for the Care of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer in Ontario
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Organizational guidance for the care of patients with head-and-neck cancer in Ontario

J Irish et al. Curr Oncol. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Background: At the request of the Head and Neck Cancers Advisory Committee of Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), a working group and expert panel of clinicians with expertise in the management of head-and-neck cancer developed the present guideline. The purpose of the guideline is to provide advice about the organization and delivery of health care services for adult patients with head-and-neck cancer.

Methods: This document updates the recommendations published in the Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) 2009 organizational guideline The Management of Head and Neck Cancer in Ontario. The guideline development methods included an updated literature search, internal review by content and methodology experts, and external review by relevant health care providers and potential users.

Results: To ensure that all patients have access to the highest standard of care available in Ontario, the guideline establishes the minimum requirements to maintain a head-and-neck disease site program. Recommendations are made about the membership of core and extended provider teams, minimum skill sets and experience of practitioners, cancer centre-specific and practitioner-specific volumes, multidisciplinary care requirements, and unique infrastructure demands.

Conclusions: The recommendations contained in this document offer guidance for clinicians and institutions providing care for patients with head-and-neck cancer in Ontario, and for policymakers and other stakeholders involved in the delivery of health care services for head-and-neck cancer.

Keywords: Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario); head-and-neck cancer; organizational guidelines.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES We have read and understood Current Oncology’s policy on disclosing conflicts of interest, and we declare the following interests: JI is a consultant with oh(cco) and the owner of JC Irish Medicine Professional Corporation, a practice dedicated to head-and-neck oncology medical practice. JK is deputy chief of radiation medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital. The organization has multiple vendor relationships; JK does not benefit personally. ACW is a consultant with Ethicon and declares no conflict with any topics or diseases addressed by this guideline. EW has consulted for Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Eisai, Merck, and Roche and acted as an investigator in industry-supported clinical trials with funding going to his institution. JY is on the board of directors for Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc., a drug development company in phase i clinical trials, and receives stock options, no salary. The remaining authors have no conflicts to disclose.

References

    1. Gilbert R, Devries-Aboud M, Winquist E, Waldron J, McQuestion M on behalf of the Head and Neck Disease Site Group. The Management of Head and Neck Cancer in Ontario. Toronto, ON: Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario); 2009.
    1. Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (cano) Practice Standards and Competencies for the Specialized Oncology Nurse. Vancouver, BC: CANO; 2006.
    1. Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (cano) Standards and Competencies for Cancer Chemotherapy Nursing Practice. Vancouver, BC: CANO; 2017.
    1. Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (cano) Radiation Oncology Nursing Practice Standards and Competencies. Vancouver, BC: CANO; 2018.
    1. Ontario Oncology Advanced Practice Nursing Community of Practice, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) [oh(cco)] Expert Recommendation Report on Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner Roles in the Delivery of Adult Cancer Services in Ontario. Toronto, ON: OH(CCO); 2018.

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