Reviewed: April 1, 2010 

Purpose
To develop and promote surgical quality improvement endeavours, practice guidelines and standards in surgical oncology for the province. The Clinical Practice Committee will work closely with the Research & Outcomes Evaluation Committee on developing outcomes reporting mechanisms and models.

Terms Of Reference

Mandate

• Understand and promote the ideals and goals of the Surgical Oncology Network.
• Act as a liaison between existing clinical practice groups (i.e. clinical practice guidelines committees supported by Ministry of Health and BCMA) and Surgical Oncology Council & Network.
• Review care maps, practice guidelines and other clinical material before distribution (i.e. ensures guidelines are in a consistent, standardized format).
• Act as a clearinghouse for surgical oncology clinical practice guidelines in BC.
• Review practice guidelines related to surgical oncology that have already been endorsed by other organizations (i.e. waitlist times established by CSSO).
• Provide a “second-opinion” review of initiatives and endorse clinical practice guidelines, standards and care maps.
• Provide input and advice into promoting clinical practice initiatives (including educational opportunities and communications strategies).
• Review and recommend clinical standards relating to surgical oncology that are provincial in scope (especially as they relate to hospital or ambulatory practice).
• Regularly review clinical practice documents and send back to Surgical Tumour Group for review.
• Develop mechanisms to monitor adherence to standards and outcomes.

Members:

Current Activities

Peer-reviewed best practice surgical guidelines are being developed, which will be directly linked to the BCCA Cancer Management Guidelines. They will be based on outcome measurement, multidisciplinary assessment, critical mass (skill/volume), technology and infrastructure. Care processes reflecting the most appropriate treatment plans will result.

Provincial Breast Cancer Guideline
We are delighted to announce the completion of the first provincial guideline for "Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer" . This guideline has been created by Dr. Allen Hayashi and members of the Breast Cancer Surgical Tumour Group. The guideline provides technical information about how to perform sentinel lymph node mapping. A second guideline, providing information on whether or not sentinel lymph node mapping should be done as a stand-alone procedure, is currently being created.