"The most important thing now is to implement the National Cancer Network," emphasised Sławomir Gadomski, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health during the "Oncology – prevention, diagnosis, therapy" panel during the Economic Forum.
As the Deputy Minister pointed out, the Act on National Cancer Network could be called the Act on Quality in Oncology. This is because it relates to the measures by which the health department wants to improve the quality of treatment – including the introduction of quality meters. The Ministry is clear – if centres do not adhere to the quality indicators, a corrective programme will be implemented in them, and if this does not help, they risk losing contact with the National Health Fund.
"The biggest challenge is to provide patients with access to quality oncological care," said Adam Maciejczyk, director of the Lower Silesian Oncology Centre in Wrocław, which participated in the pilot of the National Cancer Network (NCN). He pointed out that the pilot, which was a difficult process, helped gain the specific data needed to redesign oncology. The big challenge now will be to coordinate, that is, to implement the NCN as a systemic solution.
Need for prevention
Marcin Bruszewski, Director General of Direct CEE Markets at Philips Health Systems, stressed that oncology has become even more important during the pandemic, which has kept potential cancer patients at home. Now is the high time to strengthen the fight against cancer. The new European strategy and the national oncological strategy provide a signpost as to what actions should be taken to make this fight as effective as possible.
Marcin Bruszewski also emphasised that Philips, as a leader in new medical technologies, is working intensively on innovations that will help improve the detection of this disease and the management of its treatment.
