NIO-PIB organizes training prior to KSO implementation

- Training is not for us to impose on others what to do, how to act. We meet and train in order to build bridges and ties between all the centers," stresses NIO-PIB director Beata Jagielska, also explaining that a center receiving 2,000 patients a year will not function like one receiving 2,000 patients a month, but both will be in the Network

- The Network is a collaboration and therefore there is no room for monologue, only dialogue. We from the NIO level, listening to the trainees, also draw conclusions and by analyzing them we learn how to adapt the Network to the needs of everyone. The main goal is to create a system that, regardless of where you live, will ensure that every patient has access to high-quality oncology care," concludes the Institute's director.

The first training modules covered six key topics:

1. National Cancer Network (NSO) - introduction to the legal environment and discussion of the legal basis
2. Organization and basic principles of the KSO
3. Medical documentation and reporting of oncology services to the NHF
4. Monitoring and evaluating the quality of oncology care
5. Funding of cancer treatment services
6. Coordination of services and the role of the oncology treatment coordinator as
   a patient's guide through the health care system

- These trainings are an extremely important part of preparing the health care system to function effectively within the National Cancer Network. It's crucial that both management and administrative and medical staff have full knowledge of how the Network operates," stresses Professor Piotr Rutkowski, who heads the National Monitoring Center on behalf of the NIO.

Professor Rutkowski points out that without adequate preparation and awareness among medical and administrative staff, the introduction and implementation of uniform organizational and clinical standards across the country may be difficult.

- It is important that each participant in the system is clear about its role in the Network's structures and is prepared for the challenges of its operation, the professor adds. According to the expert, investing in education and the development of staff competence is the foundation for the success of the National Cancer Network, which is designed not only to improve the quality of treatment, but also to provide patients with consistency and continuity of care in every region of the country.

Professor Piotr Rutkowski also points out that the training process does not end with the initial implementation of the Network, but must continue and adapt to changing needs and new challenges in oncology. This allows the National Oncology Network to continually evolve, providing the highest level of care, in line with the latest European and global standards. It should be noted here that the oncology network model exists in many Western European countries, but the Polish model will be the first to be implemented in our part of Europe.

- The basis for its smooth operation is the proper organization of cooperation between WOM/KOM and the regional centers in KSO," he concludes.

The Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology - National Research Institute in Warsaw serves as the National Monitoring Center under the Law on the National Oncology Network of March 9, 2023. As part of its key tasks in this area, the Institute is responsible for, among other things, developing and updating diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines in oncology, which are prepared by relevant scientific societies or teams and submitted to the National Cancer Council (NRO). The institute also analyzes, at the national level, the application of key organizational and clinical recommendations, monitors indicators of the quality of oncology care and patient pathways within publicly funded healthcare. In consultation with the National Cancer Council, KOM also initiates activities aimed at preventing and combating cancer

- Through a comprehensive approach and systematic monitoring of key quality indicators and organizational processes, Poland is strengthening the foundation of oncology care by focusing on the patient and his needs. These measures are also consistent with the National Oncology Strategy, the main goal of which is to reduce cancer mortality, improve early detection of diseases and ensure equal access to modern treatment for all citizens," stresses Beata Biel, who heads the office of the National Oncology Strategy at the NIO, of which KSO is an integral part.

In addition to the role of the National Center, the National Institute of Oncology in Warsaw also serves as the Provincial Monitoring Center for the Mazovian Voivodeship. A list of all sixteen Provincial Centers, including the NIO, is included in the Order of the Minister of Health dated September 10, 2024, and, as with the COM, their activities are regulated by the Law on the National Cancer Network. The law stipulates that the NIO, among other things: cooperates with primary care providers in the organization of prevention, diagnosis and post-treatment care for oncology, prepares annual reports on the availability of oncology services, taking into account health needs maps, and data analysis to verify quality of care indicators in the province.

One of the tasks of the Provincial Monitoring Centers is also to train staff. The first training organized by the WOM took place at the National Cancer Institute on Tuesday, November 26, and was aimed at representatives of Specialized Oncology Treatment Centers (SOLOs) I, II and III. Similar to the training conducted by representatives of the National Monitoring Center, the focus was on legal and organizational aspects, among others.

- An extremely important topic that comes up in the Network is the role of the oncology coordinator. After the first edition of the training, we already know that it needs to be defined and specified in great detail so that managers are clear about what tasks should be assigned to coordinators. We must not forget that the overriding task of coordinators is to be the guide of a patient with a cancer diagnosis through the healthcare system," explains Prof. Mariusz Bidzinski, Plenipotentiary of the NIO Director for the Implementation of the National Oncology Network, responsible for the operational work of the Mazovian WOM. Nearly 40 coordinators participated in Tuesday's training. Substantive discussions with the participants of the meeting were for the organizers on behalf of WOM, valuable material for further work of building close relations within the framework of the created network.

The Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Cancer Institute will begin another series of training sessions next week, this time aimed at oncology care coordinators.

- We want each coordinator to be perfectly prepared for his or her role. It's extremely important that each person who takes on this task is fully aware of both the legal requirements and the practical aspects of managing the oncology patient pathway," explains Jolanta Meller, responsible for the work of coordinators at the NIO.

The planned training will be both theoretical and practical, which will enable those who act as coordinators to help patients more effectively, providing not only substantive support, but also a sense of security in the difficult process of treatment.

elaborated. based on NIO-PIB memo