IN PUGLIA, two out of ten Breast Units still do not reach the minimum number of operations per year required by law. Shortcomings are also found in the composition of the core team: the data manager is absent in 30% of the Breast Units and the nurse-case manager in 20%. Furthermore, 70% of Breast Units do not manage patient follow-up and 80% do not carry out internal audits for quality assessment. At the network level, there is still little interaction between the Breast Units, which lack a homogeneous computer system for data collection and a centralized organization of external oncogenetics and fertility preservation services. These are some of the critical issues that emerged from a survey conducted for Europa Donna Italia by researchers from the High School of Economics and Management of Health Systems (ALTEMS) of the Catholic University, which involved the coordinators of the Breast Units and the associations that collaborate with centers.
The data were presented yesterday during a working table that brought together doctors, associations and institutions, as part of the “Breast Unit: the winning team” project, sponsored by the National Association of Medical Oncology (Aiom) and by Senonetwork Onlus, and made with the unconditional contribution of Roche. In order to resolve the critical issues identified both at the level of individual structures and of the network, Europa Donna Italia asks for a more structured collaboration between centers and associations and the establishment of a coordination and monitoring group of the Breast Units which includes a representation of the associations. Apulian. “Our Region has changed a lot compared to a few years ago and great steps have been taken in the fight against breast cancer – declared the Councilor for Health Pier Luigi Lopalco in his introductory speech -. However, alongside areas of light, there are still areas of shadow on which it is necessary to continue working. Massimo is the support of the institutions in this regard which, through the AReSS, have started an audit process of all the breast care centers to try to create homogeneity in the quality of care. However, only by continuing in a continuous evaluation process will it be possible to improve the state of the system. A big applause therefore goes to initiatives like this and to all those who have worked on it ”.
Another critical point highlighted by the survey is the lack of involvement of the Associations by the Breast Unit: only 38% of the associations consulted carry out their activities within the center, without however having a dedicated space and an agreement that formalizes the collaboration. . It is on this basis that the request of Europa Donna Italia is formulated. “We ask that the associations be enabled to fully carry out, within the Apulian Breast Units, the role assigned to them by the ministerial guidelines and that their representatives be called to be part of a technical commission dedicated to coordination and monitoring of the network, as is already the case in other regions – says Rosanna D’Antona -. In fact, associations represent an essential resource for guaranteeing adequate and homogeneous care for patients with breast cancer. With this same objective – he concludes – we are also working on the formalization of a network of Apulian associations ”.
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