Samsung Medical Center’s Cancer Hospital announced on Tuesday that it has become the first institution in South Korea to receive ICHOM certification.
ICHOM, a non-profit organization, establishes international standards for implementing patient-centered value-based healthcare.
The organization defines crucial clinical outcomes and quality of life metrics for patients, developing and distributing these as standardized Patient-Centered Outcome Measurement Sets. This approach aims to shift healthcare systems from focusing on treatment processes to prioritizing patient outcomes. Currently, 48 sets have been developed and are being used by over 500 institutions across more than 60 countries.
Samsung Medical Center reports that its Cancer Hospital has received ICHOM Stage 1 certification in breast cancer care.
The ICHOM certification process consists of three stages. Stage 1 involves measuring and evaluating the clinical outcome indicators and patient-reported outcome measures as specified by ICHOM.
Since 2018, Samsung Medical Center’s Cancer Hospital has been assessing breast cancer patients’ quality of life through self-reported outcomes at each outpatient visit, beginning from the time of surgery. This data has enabled healthcare providers and patients to work together in determining post-surgical treatment plans.
ICHOM praised the response rate for self-reported outcomes at Samsung Medical Center’s Cancer Hospital, noting it exceeded 80%, which is considered exceptionally high.
Furthermore, they highlighted that the 5-year relative survival rate for breast cancer patients treated at Samsung Medical Center stands at an impressive 97.6%, attributing this success to the implementation of patient-centered value-based healthcare.
Samsung Medical Center’s Cancer Hospital intends to expand its ICHOM-related certifications to encompass other types of cancer.
Dr. Kim Hee-cheol, director of the Cancer Hospital and professor of colorectal surgery, stated that this certification marks a significant step towards establishing themselves as a leading institution in patient-centered value-based healthcare.