scholarly journals Improving Access to Treatment of Gynecologic Cancers/Cervix Cancers

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 150s-150s
Author(s):  
M. Abdel-Wahab ◽  
D. Paez ◽  
E. Zubizarreta ◽  
A. Polo

Aim and purpose: The session aims at outlining actions that the healthcare community can take to improve the current situation and inform cervix cancer control plans. Highlighting the need to address opportunities in the prevention and management of cervix cancer, the session will provide guidance on primary, secondary and tertiary prevention and management of cervix cancer and will discuss the role of radiotherapy, while showcasing examples of collaboration. Audiences: Healthcare professionals with a special interest in women's cancers/cervix cancer and healthcare services planning. Cancer care advocates and patients advocates Decision makers involved in the planning of health care services Stakeholders in LMICs Suggested panel participants: Cherian Varghese, WHO Topic “The UN Joint Global Programme on Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control” The speaker will present this important initiative that builds on the world's collective endeavors so that in a generation, death from cervical cancer ceases to be a public health issue. Kennedy Lishimpi Topic, “Case study: Zambia” Illustrate how Zambia went from having no radiotherapy facilities to being able to offer up-to-date treatment to cancer patients Lusaka, Zambia Ted Trimble, NCI Topic, “NCI Activities in Support of Cervical Cancer” To present the important initiatives of the NCI/NHI to tackle the burden of gynecologic cancers Bethesda, Maryland May Abdel-Wahab, IAEA Topic, “International Program Results on the Ground in Support of Cervical Cancer” The speaker will present available support cooperation, education and training, and the need for enhanced safety and quality and use an example of interventions in Africa.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed M. J. Alqahtani

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has obstructed the classical practices of psychological assessment and intervention via face-to-face interaction. Patients and all health professionals have been forced to isolate and become innovative to continue receiving and providing exceptional healthcare services while minimizing the risk of exposure to, or transmission of, COVID-19. OBJECTIVE This document is proposed initially as a guide to the extraordinary implementation of telepsychology in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to extend its implementation to use fundamentally as the main guideline for telepsychology services in Saudi Arabia and other Arabic communities. METHODS A professional task force representing different areas of professional psychology reviewed, summarized, and documented methods, policies, procedures, and other resources to ensure that the recommendations and evidence reviews were valid and consistent with best practices. RESULTS The practice of telepsychology involves the consideration of legal and professional requirements. This paper provides a guideline and recommendations for procedural changes that are necessary to address psychological services as we transition to telepsychology, as well as elucidates and demonstrates practical telepsychology frameworks, procedures, and proper recommendations for the provision of services during COVID-19. It adds a focused examination and discussion related to factors that could influence the telemedicine guideline, such as culture, religion, legal matters, and how clinical psychologists could expand their telepsychology practice during COVID-19 and after, seeking to produce broadly applicable guidelines for the practice of telepsychology. Professional steps in practical telemedicine were illustrated in tables and examples. CONCLUSIONS Telepsychology is not a luxury or a temporary response. Rather, it should be considered part of a proactive governance model to secure a continuity of mental health care services. Arabic communities could benefit from this guideline to telepsychology as an essential protocol for providing mental health services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.


Author(s):  
Okeoghene Odudu

This chapter investigates how, within a number of European Union (EU) Member States, competition law has been used to address problems of market power in the healthcare services sector. It summarizes the relevant EU and national competition laws and considers the experience of applying those laws to providers of healthcare services. The chapter is chiefly concerned with healthcare services in England, although examples are drawn for other EU Member States. Examination of the English experience provides a view of the use of competition law to address market power problems in most elements of the health system matrix. The chapter then considers three challenges that emerge from that experience of using competition law to address problems of market power in healthcare service markets. The first challenges the applicability of competition law to healthcare service providers operating in each or every element of the healthcare system matrix. The second, accepting applicability, questions the appropriateness of the substantive rules to healthcare services. The third, a battle of authority and autonomy, considers whether decisions made by healthcare service providers should be subject to external review and the type of review that competition law offers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S452-S452
Author(s):  
A. Rebowska

AimsThe aim of this literature review is to explore the range of factors that influence the degree of access to health care services by children and young people with learning disabilities.BackgroundChildren with learning disabilities are at increased risk of a wide range of health conditions comparing with their peers. However, recent reports by UK government as well as independent charities working with children and young people with learning disabilities demonstrated that they are at risk of poor health outcomes as a result of barriers preventing them from accessing most appropriate services.MethodsComprehensive searches were conducted in six databases. Articles were also obtained through review of references, a search of the grey literature, and contacting experts in the field. The inclusion criteria were for studies evaluating access to healthcare services, identification and communication of health needs, organisational aspects impacting on access and utilisation, staff attitudes where they impacted on access, barriers, discrimination in patients with intellectual disabilities age 0–18. The literature search identified a sample of 36 papers. The marked heterogeneity of studies excluded conducting a meta-analysis.ResultsBarriers to access included problems with identification of healthcare needs by carers and healthcare professionals, communication difficulties, the inadequacy of facilities, geographical and physical barriers, organisational factors such as inflexible appointment times, attitudes and poor knowledge base of healthcare staff.ConclusionThe factors identified can serve as a guide for managers and clinicians aiming to improve access to their healthcare services for children and young people with intellectual disabilities.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
Dang Thanh Nam ◽  
Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong ◽  
Phan Le Thu Hang ◽  
Tham Chi Dung

Strengthening the health care system at grassroots level is a top priority of the Vietnam Government agenda at the present. Recently, the overall system has been improved, however the capacity to deliver healthcare services, especially primary health care was still facing to many shortcomings. The study aimed to assess the current situation and capacity to deliver health care services at grassroots level. All health care facilities in the Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh province in 2018 were selected, included Minh Hoa District Hospital (DHs) and 16 Commune Health Center (CHCs). The results showed that the disease patterns tended to primarily concentrate on the illness which weres related to the human lifestyle and health behaviors such as living habits, eating unhealthy food, stress and also natural environment. Utilization of the curative services increased over the year, especially the laboratory testing and health examination services. However, the facility infrastructures did not meet the national standard. The function rooms in the facilities being degraded and damaged remained at high proportion which were required to renovate. The facilities lacked of large number of essential equipment and materials. In order to strengthen the capacity to deliver the health care services, the study recommended to invest to standardize infrastructure, provision of essential equipment, materials and drugs in correspondent to the disease pattern.


2021 ◽  
pp. 141-151
Author(s):  
Paweł Lipowski

The aim of this study is to identify the legal characteristics of contracts for the health care services provided by a public payer, i.e. the National Health Fund (NFZ) as part of treatment covered by universal health insurance, as compared to those provided by the health care providers with public or private legal status. This issue is discussed in relation to the legal conditions for the treatment of patients on a commercial basis in those institutions (private or public) which have contracts for the provision of healthcare services under the general health insurance (so-called contracts). The discussion is presented based on author’s own observations, resulting both from his scientific studies in the field of medical law and his work in various entities operating in the health care system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ângela Rodrigues ◽  
Bruno Valentim ◽  
Daniel Tavares ◽  
Maria João Augusto ◽  
Jorge Campelo ◽  
...  

Introduction: The lack of knowledge about the existence, effectiveness, and supply of emergency contraception as well as access to it, its effective duration and the lack of recognition of the need for its use can prevent women from using it. The aim of this study was to ascertain the attitudes, experience, level of knowledge and information sources about emergency contraception of Portuguese female users of healthcare services.Material and Methods: We conducted a multicentre, cross-sectional, observational study among 280 Portuguese women users of health care services through an original and anonymous questionnaire composed of 30 questions.Results: The mean age of the women who replied to the questionnaire was 33.83 ± 8.76 years. Of the observed sample, 27.7% used EC, 50% of whom with no counselling. Despite 92.1% of women claiming knowledge about emergency contraception, only 31.2% of these answered 8 - 10 questions correctly (14 in total). The media were the most frequent source of information (63.4%). Most participants (67.5%) considered that emergency contraception is associated with severe adverse reactions. Furthermore, 76% did not know the time range of effectiveness after unprotected sexual intercourse. Youngest age (p = 0.038), higher education level (p < 0.001), increasing parity (p = 0.051) and previous use of emergency contraception (p = 0.011) were identified as the determinant sociodemographic factors for a higher level of knowledge about emergency contraception.Discussion: The use of emergency contraception after counselling by healthcare professionals was lower than reported in the literature.Conclusion: This study showed that female users of healthcare services were aware of the existence of emergency contraception, but they demonstrated a low level of knowledge about it, especially regarding the correct period of use, place of acquisition and safety issues.


Medical Law ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 37-120
Author(s):  
Emily Jackson

All books in this flagship series contain carefully selected substantial extracts from key cases, legislation, and academic debate, providing able students with a stand-alone resource. This chapter examines the provision of health care services. It first considers the way in which NHS services are commissioned. Secondly, it covers the issue of resource allocation or rationing. It examines different rationing strategies, and considers the role of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, and the use of judicial review to challenge funding decisions. Finally, it examines public health law, and role of the state in encouraging healthy behaviour and addressing health inequalities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesna Zadnik ◽  
Ana Mihor ◽  
Sonja Tomsic ◽  
Tina Zagar ◽  
Nika Bric ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the provision and use of healthcare services throughout the world. In Slovenia, an epidemic was officially declared between mid-March and mid-May 2020. Although all non-essential health care services were put on hold by government decree, oncological services were listed as an exception. Nevertheless, as cancer control depends also on other health services and additionally major changes in people’s behaviour likely occurred, we aimed to analyse whether cancer diagnosis and management were affected during the COVID-19 epidemic in Slovenia.MethodsWe analysed routine data for the period November 2019 through May 2020 from three sources: (1) from the Slovenian Cancer Registry we analysed data on pathohistological and clinical practice cancer notifications from two major cancer centres in Ljubljana and Maribor; (2) from the e-referral system we analysed data on all referrals in Slovenia issued for oncological services, stratified by type of referral; and (3) from the administrative data of the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana we analysed data on outpatient visits by type as well as on diagnostic imaging performed.ResultsCompared to the November 2019 – February 2020 average, the decrease in April 2020 was about 43% and 29% for pathohistological and clinical cancer notifications; 33%, 46% and 85% for first, control and genetic counselling referrals; 19% (53%), 43% (72%) and 20% (21%) for first (and control) outpatient visits at the radiotherapy, surgery and medical oncology sectors at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, and 48%, 76%, and 42% for X-rays, mammograms and ultrasounds performed at the Institute, respectively. The number of CT and MRI scans performed was not affected.ConclusionsSignificant drops in first referrals for oncological services, first visits and imaging studies performed at the Institute, as well as cancer notifications in April 2020 point to a possibility of a delayed cancer diagnosis for some patients during the first surge of SARS-CoV-2 cases in Slovenia. The reasons for the delay cannot be ascertained with certainty and could be linked to health-seeking behaviour of the patients, the beliefs and practices of doctors and/ or the health system management during the epidemic. Drops in control referrals and control visits were expected and are most likely due to the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana postponing non-essential follow-ups through May 2020.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Ercia

Abstract Background The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enabled millions of people to gain coverage that was expected to improve access to healthcare services. However, it is unclear the extent of the policy’s impact on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and the patients they served. This study sought to understand FQHC administrators’ views on the ACA’s impact on their patient population and organization. It specifically explores FQHC administrators’ perspective on 1) patients’ experience with gaining coverage 2) their ability to meet patients’ healthcare needs. Methods Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with administrators from FQHCs in urban counties in 2 Medicaid-expanded states (Arizona and California) and 1 non-expanded state (Texas). An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the interview data. Results All FQHC administrators reported uninsured patients were more likely to gain coverage from Medicaid than from private health insurance. Insured patients generally experienced an improvement in accessing healthcare services but depended on their plan’s covered services, FQHCs’ capacity to meet demand, and specialist providers’ willingness to accept their coverage type. Conclusion Gaining coverage helped improved newly insured patients’ access to care, but limitations remained. Additional policies are required to better address the gaps in the depth of covered services in Medicaid and the most affordable PHI plans and capacity of providers to meet demand to ensure beneficiaries can fully access the health care services they need.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 176-181
Author(s):  
Anne Holdoway

Malnutrition represents a significant health burden in the UK, affecting patient outcomes and costing health care services over £20 billion. Anne Holdoway discusses opportunities for early intervention and explains how healthcare managers can help to address this issue.


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