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. 2021 Sep:7:1513-1521.
doi: 10.1200/GO.21.00281.

Spotlight on International Quality: COVID-19 and Its Impact on Quality Improvement in Cancer Care

Douglas W Blayney  1 , Giovanni Bariani  2 , Devika Das  3 , Shaheenah Dawood  4 , Michael Gnant  5 , Roselle De Guzman  6 , S Eric Martin  7 , Deirdre O'Mahony  8 , Alex Roach  9 , Paul Ruff  10 , Carlos Sampaio  11 , Jose Angel Sanchez  12 , Verna Vanderpuye  13 , Arif Kamal  14 , Carolyn Hendricks  15
Affiliations

Spotlight on International Quality: COVID-19 and Its Impact on Quality Improvement in Cancer Care

Douglas W Blayney et al. JCO Glob Oncol. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

This report from ASCO's International Quality Steering Group summarizes early learnings on how the COVID-19 pandemic and its stresses have disproportionately affected cancer care delivery and its delivery systems across the world. This article shares perspectives from eight different countries, including Austria, Brazil, Ghana, Honduras, Ireland, the Philippines, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, which provide insight to their unique issues, challenges, and barriers to quality improvement in cancer care during the pandemic. These perspectives shed light on some key recommendations applicable on a global scale and focus on access to care, importance of expanding and developing new treatments for both COVID-19 and cancer, access to telemedicine, collecting and using COVID-19 and cancer registry data, establishing measures and guidelines to further enhance quality of care, and expanding communication among governments, health care systems, and health care providers. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care and quality improvement has been and will continue to be felt across the globe, but this report aims to share these experiences and learnings and to assist ASCO's international members and our global fight against the pandemic and cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Giovanni BarianiConsulting or Advisory Role: LibbsResearch Funding: Mabxience, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Bristol Myers Squibb Shaheenah DawoodHonoraria: Novartis, Roche, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, biocon, MSD, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Caris Life SciencesConsulting or Advisory Role: MSD OncologySpeakers' Bureau: Pfizer, Roche/Genentech, AstraZenecaResearch Funding: MSD OncologyTravel, Accommodations, Expenses: Roche, MSD, Amgen, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb Michael GnantEmployment: Sandoz (I)Honoraria: Amgen, Novartis, LillyConsulting or Advisory Role: Daiichi-Sankyo, Tolmar, LifeBrain, Lilly Roselle De GuzmanHonoraria: Novartis, Roche, AstraZeneca, Merck Serono, MSD Oncology, Boehringer IngelheimConsulting or Advisory Role: Roche, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZenecaResearch Funding: Centus BiotherapeuticsTravel, Accommodations, Expenses: Hospira, Roche, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Eisai, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Lilly¸ Novartis Deirdre O'MahonyConsulting or Advisory Role: Genomic Health/Exact SciencesTravel, Accommodations, Expenses: Roche, Novartis Ireland Ltd, Roche Paul RuffEmployment: TeladocStock and Other Ownership Interests: TeladocSpeakers' Bureau: Amgen, Mylan, MSDResearch Funding: Janssen Oncology, Roche, AstraZeneca, Novartis, PfizerTravel, Accommodations, Expenses: Merck Serono, MSD Oncology, Pfizer, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Roche Arif KamalEmployment: Prepped Health, Acclivity Health, Private Diagnostic ClinicLeadership: Prepped Health, Acclivity HealthStock and Other Ownership Interests: Acclivity HealthConsulting or Advisory Role: Medtronic, Huron Therapeutics, New Century Health, Compassus, AstraZeneca, United Health Group¸ Janssen Oncology, Care4ward, United Health GroupTravel, Accommodations, Expenses: Janssen OncologyNo other potential conflicts of interest were reported.

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. The number of confirmed cases is lower than the number of actual cases; the main reason for that is limited testing. Source: Johns Hopkins University CSSE COVID-19 Data.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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