The 5-point plan
24.02.2015 14:35
– The Scientific Institute of Resident Hematologists and Oncologists – WINHO – has been dedicated to transparency and quality in oncological care for 10 years. In particular, the institute wants to check whether and how outpatient offers for the treatment of cancer reach those affected and meet their needs and requirements. Precisely because cancer medicine is becoming increasingly specialized and divided in terms of work, WINHO sees an important task in confronting doctors and service providers with questions about the wishes and demands of cancer patients. The WINHO and the professional association of resident hematologists and oncologists - BNHO - have jointly developed a 5-point plan to address important topic areas for more patient orientation in the next few years.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the institute's founding, WINHO and BNHO want to focus even more on patient orientation. As the start of this realignment, the symposium “Patient Needs Yesterday – Patient Demands Tomorrow” took place in Berlin. Priorities for health services research in oncology”. The situation in cancer care was examined by representatives of care practice, science, self-help and politics. “Resolutions of the G-BA specify care and regulate diagnostics, treatment and advice for patients,” emphasized the patron of the symposium, Prof. Josef Hecken, impartial chairman of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA). Hecken noted that the work of the G-BA offers many starting points for patient-oriented care design. The patient representative Jan Geissler advocated that responsible patients be involved in decisions themselves.
Prof. Dr. Stephan Schmitz, chairman of the BNHO, emphasized that he considers it a groundbreaking decision by his association to participate in health services research with its own scientific institute. “As a professional medical association, we want to ensure and provide highly qualified care for our patients. The WINHO helps us to look at all aspects of care with regard to patient orientation,” says Schmitz. Schmitz sees new challenges for practicing hematologists and oncologists, especially as a result of therapeutic advances in cancer therapy.
The 5-point plan therefore calls for: “Be responsible for the patient!” BNHO and WINHO want to research how doctors can assume their responsibility for the fate of a patient. They want to counteract the fragmentation of responsibility due to more and more people involved in care. In addition, a uniform and open communication style should be promoted within the teams.
“Providing basic psycho-oncological care” is another goal. In order to record the psychosocial stress of cancer patients, BNHO and WINHO will introduce routine screening in all practices. The goal of “promoting and involving well-informed patients” is aimed at providing information and providing information to cancer patients. Help should also be provided for dealing with linguistic and cultural issues Barriers are developed.
BNHO and WINHO attach particular importance to facilitating “access to innovative therapy options” so that patients receive the best possible therapy regardless of where they live. This involves, among other things, treatment in clinical studies. Because cancer patients are living longer and longer, often with cancer, “continuity of oncological treatment must be ensured”. From the BNHO's point of view, the long-term stress of cancer patients and the requirements for structured aftercare have not been researched enough.
The challenges identified together with the BNHO are for the managing director of the WINHO, Dr. Walter Baumann, a good foundation. “This will enable us to become more patient-oriented in cancer care,” explained Baumann, while also admitting that this would require some convincing within our own ranks.