The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) have jointly released new Oncology Medical Home (OMH) guidelines to standardize the definition of high-quality oncology care.

ASCO and COA hope that the new standards will instill a framework focused on high-quality, patient-centric, and value-based care. A multidisciplinary panel of experts assisted in developing the published guidance; the team was comprised of experts in various areas of patient advocacy and health care administration and included clinical providers. The panel consensus, along with systematic review through the comparison of peer-reviewed studies, an analysis of clinical pathways, and a review of care plans during survivorship, was then used to establish the standards.1 The outlined standards cover 7 aspects of oncology care: Engagement, focusing on the empowerment of patients to participate in decisions related to their care; Access, highlighting the use of a triage system to minimize emergency room visits and to provide prompt in-office care; Treatment, encouraging physicians and health care providers to follow up-to-date clinical pathways to ensure evidence/value-based treatment and referring patients to clinical trials when appropriate; Equity, in implementing navigation and care coordination services for patients while enacting policies to address biases in the health care system; Quality, in suggesting the use of various data sources to guide the practice improvement processes in the hope of improving patient outcomes; Planning, in recommending upfront discussions with patients related to advanced care (eg, palliative care, hospice); and Safety, in providing the safe and effective delivery of chemotherapy by adhering to existing Quality Oncology Practice Initiative standards.2

The specific domains detailed in the new standards demonstrate a shared governance among all stakeholders rather than only among practices, institutions, and high-level practitioners. Informed decision making is encouraged to include providers at every level, with the primary focus remaining on all patients and caregivers , regardless of whether they live close to large institutions or in affluent communities. The comprehensive standards serve as a reference to guide all stakeholders in transitioning care toward high-quality, value-based, equitable standards throughout the care continuum.