June 3, 2013 — ArborMetrix Inc., a provider of real-time healthcare analytics, announced that the Michigan Breast Oncology Quality Initiative (MiBOQI) selected its fully integrated, cloud-based registry and analytics solution to replace its legacy system. The 26-hospital Collaborative Quality Initiative (CQI) will implement ArborMetrix's technology to improve quality, safety, outcomes and effectiveness of breast cancer treatment across the state of Michigan.
"When our existing vendor discontinued its product, it gave us the perfect opportunity to seek a more advanced, powerful and sophisticated solution," said Samuel Silver, M.D., Ph.D., project director at MiBOQI and assistant dean for research and professor of internal medicine/hematology-oncology at the University of Michigan Medical School. "After thoroughly evaluating half a dozen companies, we selected ArborMetrix because of their successful track record in converting and customizing legacy data. They offer the most proven, powerful, configurable and flexible tool, and they're willing and able to modify our database on demand. The fact that Dr. John Birkmeyer [the company's founder and chief scientific officer] is a renowned quality and outcomes improvement researcher was one more factor that made it attractive for us to partner with them."
Unlike guidelines for other medical conditions, protocols for breast cancer change frequently due to new discoveries and medications. The 26 hospitals and 420 medical, surgical and radiation oncologists that participate in MiBOQI follow nationally accepted guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 23 of the world's leading cancer centers. Over the first 4.5 months of 2013, NCCN has revised its breast cancer guidelines three times. In comparison, other organizations typically issue guidelines every three years.
"I expect NCCN to release three additional versions by year-end," said Silver, who is also NCCN's chair. "ArborMetrix will allow MiBOQI not only to keep pace with NCCN but analyze our data more expeditiously to measure and report on clinical performance; improve breast cancer diagnosis and care; identify and determine best practices; and ensure adherence to evidence-based guidelines. It will facilitate a more rapid learning cycle, positioning MiBOQ to deliver actionable information to physicians much sooner than we could before, helping them enhance care and save more lives."
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths and is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Michigan women, according to the American Cancer Society. MiBOQI, a CQI sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network, has been tracking data of 25,000 women with breast cancer since its founding in 2006. MiBOQI will go live with ArborMetrix this summer.
"Hospitals today are under continuous pressure to deliver high-quality care at lower cost," said Brett Furst, CEO of ArborMetrix. "We are pleased Michigan Breast Oncology Quality Initiative chose us to navigate that challenge and look forward to supporting their efforts to provide state-of-the-art breast cancer treatment throughout Michigan."
For more information: www.miboqi.cms.si.umich.edu, www.arbormetrix.com
May 28, 2024 
