Practice standardization in the staging and treatment of colon cancer at Intermountain Healthcare.

6053 Background: Intermountain Healthcare is a network of 24 urban and rural hospitals including 9 comprehensive cancer centers serving Utah and southeastern Idaho. This project builds on the institution's long history of quality improvement and was undertaken to standardize the treatment of colon cancer with respect to surgery, pathology and medical oncology. Methods: A multidisciplinary physician-based development team identified the treatment of colon cancer as an area of interest, collected baseline data to assess current practice, and developed system wide goals to ensure optimal staging and treatment for patients. Following a review of existing literature and an evaluation of national guidelines, the team set a goal to remove and evaluate at least 12 lymph nodes in 90% of stage I-III colon cancer patients who undergo resection with curative intent. The next year the development team added a goal to ensure that 80% of stage III colon cancer patients receive chemotherapy. Both goals were developed and...