From the moment of diagnosis and until the end of treatment, a cancer patient in Poland will receive comprehensive medical care. Treatment standards will be of the highest quality and the same for everyone, Health Minister Adam Nedzielski assures. The government passed a bill on the National Cancer Network.
The National Cancer Network will have to implement procedures that will detect cancer at the earliest stages, which will allow more effective and faster treatment of the disease. This is important because every year in Poland about 180,000 Poles are diagnosed with a malignant tumor. Cancer is one of the most common causes of death in our country.
“In 2020-2023, the government has allocated and is allocating more than PLN 5 billion for the National Cancer Strategy,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
One standard of care for all
The essence of the new strategy is to provide each patient, regardless of their place of residence, with treatment based on uniform diagnostic and therapeutic standards. Cancer treatment centers will be divided into three categories. Each patient will have the opportunity to be treated in the most specialized institutions. Councils will also be convened with the participation of representatives of highly specialized centers, which will make decisions on treatment in individual cases.
“The CSR structure will include specialized centers for oncological treatment of the 3rd, 2nd and 1st reference levels (SOLO 3rd, SOLO 2nd, SOLO 1st level) together with competence centers and satellite centers, as well as centers cooperation. Only medical organizations that are members of the CSR will be entitled to provide medical services in the field of oncological care, financed from public funds, the Ministry of Health reports.
The coordinator will support the patient in the struggle for health
The patient will not be left alone in the fight against the disease. He will be assisted by a coordinator. It is designed to ensure that the patient has the right transition from diagnosis through the choice of a treatment center, therapy to rehabilitation. An oncology hotline will also be set up to provide information on treatment options.
Source: Wprost
