The (virtual) tour continues between the Italian Regions of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) and Senior Italia FederAnziani to meet all the regional health councilors of our country. The stage in Veneto ended with the launch of the permanent oncology table, with the aim of improving the excellent functioning of the Venetian Oncology Network to face the next challenges also linked to the Covid emergency. The table will be attended by representatives of medical oncologists, patients and local institutions.
“The network has undoubtedly improved oncological services throughout our territory,” said Luciano Flor, Director General of Health of the Veneto Region. “We were able to manage the many difficulties caused by the pandemic also thanks to the connections, between hospital and territory, that the health facility is able to guarantee. Certain organizational aspects certainly need to be improved. It is important to be able to collaborate with AIOM and Federanziani because we are convinced that the tools to face difficulties must come from professionals who work with patients and caregivers every day ”.
“The strength of the Venetian Oncological Network is the unity of purpose with which it was designed and built”, added Pierfranco Conte, Coordinator of the Venetian Oncological Network. “The biggest problem we face is the shortage of specialized doctors that we will have in the coming years. In Veneto there are 26 oncology operating units, some of which are small and not very attractive for professionals. The training networks that currently are those of the University of Padua and Verona need to be strengthened. Pools of hospital oncologists must then be created who can, if necessary and occasionally, be sent from the larger health structures to work in smaller centers ”.
“Guaranteeing uniform assistance services in the same territory is one of the main objectives of a regional cancer network”, continued Giuseppe Azzarello, Coordinator of AIOM Veneto. “We demonstrated this in the first months of the pandemic when also thanks to the Internet we were the first in Italy to activate a Diagnostic Therapeutic Assistance Path (PTDA) for the cancer patient affected by Covid infection”.
“Veneto can be taken as a model by other Regions that are working to establish Oncological Networks”, commented Giordano Beretta, AIOM National President. “As a Scientific Society we are convinced that they are fundamental and that they must be activated or implemented throughout the national territory. The advantages are innumerable both in terms of individual patient care and savings for the entire regional health system. They also foster clinical research opportunities in a specific territory as well as links between centers of reference and territorial medicine ”.
“Even telemedicine must be made uniform in the same Region”, concluded Roberto Messina, National President of Senior Italia FederAnziani. “Oncology is a branch of medicine that can exploit the opportunities offered by new technologies even if these can never replace 100% face-to-face visits. Finally, as patient representatives, we are concerned about the drop in screening that occurred last year. We could soon see an increase in cases of cancer in a more advanced stage also in Veneto ”.
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