Efficiency hub

Health disparities hinder access to cancer care across the globe, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Patient navigation denotes an approach where people are provided with one-on-one support, guidance, advocacy and education to guide them through the care continuum. Recognising the importance of patient navigation and its capacity to help address health disparities, the American Cancer Society set up the Building Expertise, Advocacy, and Capacity for Oncology Navigation (BEACON) initiative.

Ireland provides cancer care and Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) at centres across the country, but administration of care can be hindered by a lack of access to patient clinical information, resulting in delays to care and an increase in SACT administration errors. Clinicians recognised the negative impact of limited information-sharing, and engaged policymakers to include a National Electronic Prescribing System in the National Cancer Strategy.

Citizens of Qatar have universal health coverage, with 70–100% of cancer treatments being covered by the government. Some innovative cancer treatments, such as precision medicine, are not covered, meaning patients are not reimbursed for these treatment costs and thus risking financial toxicity. To combat this, the Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) offers financial assistance to people paying out of pocket for cancer treatments.

While childhood cancer survival rates are increasing in Europe, they remain low in Lithuania – partially due to a lack of innovative research in the country. To combat this, the Twinning in Research and Education to improve survival in Childhood Solid Tumours in Lithuania (TREL) project was initiated by the European Commission.

Cancer rates are rising in South-East Asia, but comprehensive access to, and coverage for, cancer care remains low. This is partially attributed to a lack of data on the impact of cancer to create evidence-based policy. The ASEAN Costs in Oncology (ACTION) study was initiated in 2011 by The George Institute for Global Health to address these gaps in data.

Rates of cancer are rising in Spain, and more people than ever are accessing treatment at day hospitals across the country. Long waiting times for medication and treatment; inefficient use of resources, leading to bottlenecks in the care pathway; and errors in prescriptions can all cause delayed treatment, increased patient toxicity, poorer survival rates and reduced patient satisfaction.

Cancer rates are rising in Thailand, and while over 99% of the population has access to universal healthcare, there are still long delays in accessing cancer care. Travel distances, disjointed records systems, and patient management of healthcare data are cited as reasons for care delays. In 2022, the National Health Security Office introduced the Cancer Anywhere (CA) programme, which enables those covered by the Universal Coverage Scheme to choose where they want to receive cancer care.

Radiation oncology (RO) is the treatment of cancers using targeted, high-energy radiation. RO is a fast-evolving field, but there are still consistent issues with incorrect dosages and their resulting toxicity, treatment delays due to a lack of workforce and infrastructure, and a lack of best-practice treatment guidelines. To combat these issues, the Michigan Radiation Oncology Quality Consortium (MROQC) was established in 2011. The goal of the consortium was to create a comprehensive clinical data registry of people receiving radiation treatment for breast, lung, prostate and bone cancers in order to facilitate treatment and dosage comparisons, as well as establishing best-practice guidelines for the delivery of radiation treatment. Since its inception, the consortium has grown to cover 27 radiation treatment facilities across Michigan.

Organisations running human clinical trials have an ethical obligation to make their research findings public to advance medical science and to reduce the time it takes for innovative treatments to reach the public. In 2013, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) came together to release joint principles for responsible clinical trial data sharing to enhance research and scientific knowledge, advance patient care and improve public health.