The Director of Planning, Organisation, and Health Evaluation of the Basque Country highlights, during the meeting with All.Can Spain, the importance of evaluating the results of regional Oncological Plans

On July 11^th, All.Can Spain´s Scientific Committee presented the national chapter of the Platform and the 1^st report 8 recommendations to Mr. Mikel Sánchez, Director of Planning, Organisation and Health Evaluation of the Basque Department of Health.

Represented by Mr. David Trigos (coordinator of the European Patient’s Academy in Spain EUPATI), and Mrs. Fátima Rodríguez (legal adviser of EUPATI), All.Can Spain highlighted the synergies between the ambitious Basque Country Cancer Plan 2018-2023 and All.Can Spain’s first report, entitled: “The cancer patient experience: optimizing the circuit and improving coordination and care until diagnosis”. Additionally, we had the opportunity to jointly identify and analyze those best practices being implemented in the Autonomous Community to reduce the silos between primary and secondary care and optimize the patient´s experience from suspicion and up to diagnosis.

One of the key points mentioned during the meeting was the importance of evaluating the results of regional Oncological Plans. In this regard, the Basque Health Department has set up a committee, which also involves patients’ perspectives, to analyze and assess the implementation of its regional Plan’s objectives.

During the conversation with Mr. Sánchez, other pivotal topics for the approach to cancer were discussed: 

• The value of cancer screening. One of the main points of interest of the Basque Oncology Strategy. In this respect, the Department of Health is currently working on the Cassandra Project (national pilot project for lung cancer screening), as well as on the early implementation of prostate cancer screening programs.
• Key role of patient involvement and education around the implementation of cancer strategies.
• Importance of prevention and health promotion in improving outcomes.
• Implementation of clinical pathways between primary care and hospital care to reduce times in the care circuit.

All.Can Spain has so far been able to disseminate the findings of its 1^st report and identify with some of the leading cancer authorities the best practices of 3 key Autonomous Communities in order to inspire other regions to improve the coordination and quality of care in the first phase of the circuit.

Please find the link to the Report: https://lnkd.in/dCSxDjvC    #Spain #Cancer #Oncology #Diagnosis