Breast cancer: optimizing care

Institut Curie has introduced a Breast Cancer Network

What is this exactly?

It is a patient’s optimum pathway in senology. We have spent three years fine-tuning it. Along with our partner Malakoff Médéric, we established benchmarks that we will soon be providing to all interested hospitals and clinics. This involves implementing an efficient process and related indicators that institutions applying this charter can use.

The aim is to standardize the care of these patients, to provide optimum efficiency and clarity while reducing wait times for surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The first appointment must therefore take place within seven days of the mammogram, and treatment must begin within specific time periods: a maximum of 21 days for chemotherapy and 24 days for surgery.

These benchmarks also highlights the support that patients need during and after treatment.  They must receive personalized follow-up, in particular regarding continuing or returning to work, since many patients are working at the time of their diagnosis.

This system is beneficial to everyone: the patient enjoys a safe care framework with specified deadlines for treatment. General practitioners are now fully part of the network and are involved in post-treatment guidance for patients. The tools, such as the personalized care plan, help physicians better understand the patient’s situation to help guide her through the health landscape. Lastly, partner institutions benefit directly from the best practices developed within this efficiency network.

This program will be deployed region by region. Any French institution may ask to subscribe as soon as their region becomes eligible.