Background: Variations in cancer care and outcomes that cannot be explained by differences in patient illness or patient preferences are referred to as unwarranted variations. Identifying and addressing unwarranted variations, their causes, and improvement priorities is an important part of ensuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of cancer services. However, there is no defined approach to identifying cancer related unwarranted variations in the literature. In Australia, the Victorian Integrated Cancer Services (VICS) Optimal Care Summits program is responsible for working with cancer service providers, consumers, and other cancer organisations to identify unwarranted variations, causes, and improvement priorities.
Aim: To describe the established VICS Optimal Care Summits evidence-based protocol for identifying unwarranted variations in cancer care, the causes, and prioritising service improvement activities to address these.
Methods: Data and information from a rapid systematic review of published literature and environmental scan of policy and reports related to tumour-specific Victorian cancer care will describe the historical state of cancer care, priorities, and outcomes of cancer care in Victoria. Results from statistical analyses of a cancer linked dataset, audit of health records, and surveys completed by consumers and clinicians with experience of tumour-specific cancer care generate a detailed list of unwarranted variations for prioritisation. A 3-round Delphi process involving relevant clinicians and consumers will be used to prioritise unwarranted variations for Summit workshopping activities. Information from the Summit will be used to identify local and statewide improvement priorities and action plan.
Conclusion: Formalising the mixed-methods approach used by the VICS Optimal Care Summits in a protocol will help ensure unwarranted variations are clearly defined, data collection and analyses are transparent and reproducible, and priority setting for cancer service activities are supported by evidence.