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Enhancing Breast Cancer Care Across Europe: The Launch Of The European Quality Assurance Scheme

by Shreeya

The European Commission’s launch of the European Quality Assurance Scheme for Breast Cancer Services is a significant step toward improving breast cancer care across Europe. This scheme sets clear and evidence-based quality standards for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, aiming to ensure better patient outcomes and continuity of care.

Key Features of the Scheme

Evidence-based and patient-centred: Prioritizes scientific evidence and focuses on the patient’s experience and outcomes.

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Voluntary, modular, and flexible: Institutions can implement aspects of the scheme according to their specific needs and capacities.

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Endorsed by the European Co-operation for Accreditation (EA): Ensures high standards in accreditation at a European level.

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Benefits

Better care coordination: The scheme focuses on seamless transitions between various stages of breast cancer care, from diagnosis to long-term follow-up.

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Self-assessment tool: A self-assessment tool will help services evaluate their readiness for compliance and highlight areas for improvement.

European-wide quality consistency: By establishing uniform standards, it ensures that patients across the EU have access to equally high-quality breast cancer services.

Impact on Women’s Health in the EU

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the EU. In 2022, nearly 96,000 women died from breast cancer. Screening programs are crucial for early detection and can significantly reduce mortality—studies show a 34% reduction in deaths among women aged 50-69 who participate in screening programs.

The Bigger Picture

The launch of the scheme is part of the EU Cancer Screening Scheme, which aims for 90% participation in breast cancer screening by 2025. This initiative is aligned with the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan, which prioritizes prevention, early detection, and access to quality healthcare for all Europeans.

The ultimate goal is to ensure equal access to quality care across the EU, overcoming disparities in healthcare access and improving patient mobility within European health systems. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) led the development of the scheme in close collaboration with health professionals, researchers, and patient groups.

For healthcare services, including hospitals, cancer centers, and clinics, adopting the scheme will mean meeting rigorous quality standards that not only improve patient outcomes but also ensure that care is equitable and consistent across all EU member states.

In summary, this initiative promises a more comprehensive, homogeneous, and accessible approach to breast cancer care across Europe, providing a framework to reduce inequalities in treatment and outcomes, and setting the stage for future patient movement across borders within the EU’s healthcare systems.

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