Accreditation and health supervision: GAHAR national standards guarantee the establishment of an integrated care system for cancer patients

Dr. Ashraf Ismail, Chairman of the General Authority for Health Accreditation and Control, highlighted the importance of providing an integrated health care system for better care of cancer patients as one of the trends modern basics in oncological treatment.

He pointed out that the most important feature of such a system is to ensure the sharing of information among team members regarding patient care and to develop a comprehensive treatment plan to meet biological needs, psychological and social aspects of the patient, in addition to taking into account the safety dimensions of oncology patient care, which include the provision of: specialist expertise, state-of-the-art technology Evidence-based clinical evidence and evidence, coordination and effective communication between members of the treatment, infection prevention and control, patient support and medication administration team to achieve the highest levels of quality and safety for the services provided to oncology patients.

This happened during her participation in the activities of the closed discussion session of the 15th International Conference on Breast and Gynecological Tumors and Tumor Immunotherapy, organized by the Scientific Association of Breast and Female Tumors (BGICC). ) and Ain Shams University.

The head of the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Control explained that there are several considerations that must be available in oncology treatment centers confirmed by the national standards issued by GAHAR, whether in terms of whether it concerns the treatment of oncology patients and the extended risks they are exposed to, the privacy of the complex services provided to them, or the privacy of oncology patients in terms of exposure. Infection is more likely depending on the stage of treatment or the extent of tumor spread, which requires increasing the degree of infection control within the healthcare facility to the highest rate.

He stressed that one of the most important things to make available to oncology centers is specialist expertise, and that doesn’t just include oncologists and surgeons, but also nurses, radiation therapists and others. health professionals who work alongside them, as well as a team of highly qualified and experienced professionals. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy require good continuous training to ensure the quality of health care, which is guaranteed by the national standards issued by GAHAR’s Workforce Management Standards Workforce Management Authority.

He added that the complexity and the continuous and rapid development of technologies used in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors, such as: radiotherapy devices, advanced surgical tools and high-tech imaging machines such as: resonance magnetic, gamma knife and other advanced technologies that need to be available in tumor treatment centers to achieve more precise and effective cancer treatment. On the contrary, it requires the medical establishment to fully comply with safety and security requirements. For example, but not limited to: periodic maintenance and calibration bases of the devices used, in addition to complying with strict requirements in radiation protection to ensure the safe and effective use of radiation in tumor centers, and to work to reduce the environmental risks that can be caused by radiation, chemicals and other causes of environmental pollution taking into account all these technical and health considerations in the design of the health facility to ensure the safety and security of the patient and the service provider.

Dr Ismail pointed out that the GAHAR standards emphasize the importance of having an approved policy available at the facility for reliable evidence-based clinical guidelines to ensure the most appropriate and effective treatment is received based on each patient’s condition, as well as protocols to prevent and control the spread of infections, such as hand hygiene, sterilization and disinfection, and isolation precautions, as well as emotional support programs, psychological and educational for patients and their families, adding that the standards also ensure that the facility has systems in place to ensure the safe and accurate administration of medications. Such as: correct drug selection, proper storage, correct description, preparation, dispensing, administration and monitoring.

On cancer prevention and early detection of tumours, Dr. Ashraf Ismail emphasized the great role that primary care centers and units should play in this context, which the comprehensive health insurance system and leaders hold dear. policies by focusing more effort on screening programs and public awareness, emphasizing the importance of training programs needed for family physicians at this level of health care, by oncologists, as well as the community education on healthy environment and prevention of carcinogens in foods and behaviors, which reduces national cancer treatment burden .

He continued: “Currently, between 30% and 50% of cancer cases are preventable by avoiding risk factors for the disease and implementing strategies based on existing evidence to prevent it, in addition to reducing the risk of cancer. cancer burden through early detection of disease. and provide patients with an adequate amount of treatment. and care, noting that many types of cancer have an increased chance of being cured if diagnosed early and treated appropriately.

For his part, Dr. Hisham El-Ghazaly, President of the Egyptian Cancer Society and Chairman of the Conference, expressed his pride in holding the International Conference on Breast and Gynecological Cancers for the fifteenth consecutive year in Egypt in cooperation with 12 international societies and the presence of more than 120 foreign experts of various specialties and more than 3000 doctors from different countries of the world, which contributes to achieving the objectives of this conference in terms of support and strengthening of teaching and of research in the field of oncology treatment, issuing new global guidelines from Egypt in cooperation with Egyptian and international expertise, unifying efforts for early detection of tumors and increasing cure rates, adding that a African alliance will be established Among African associations and organizations working in the field of oncology, representing spanning about 15 African countries in the field of oncology diagnosis and treatment and bioinformatics.