How to Optimise Oncological Treatments: Lessons Learned from the First Covid-19 wave
Abstract
Despite the local idiosyncrasies and different viral disease epidemiology resulting in country specific governmental measures, our 70 centers located in Australia (32), United Kingdom (15) and Spain (21) joined forces and shared knowledge and experiences, which supported an appropriate clinical strategy for each country. The supply of Radio Therapy (RT) and/or Chemo Therapy (CT), and the safeguard of patients and staff in regard to their infectious status have been our priorities. In order to classify the changes in practice made during this pandemic we divide them into four major pillars that have impacted our culture and processes: oncology treatment, infection control, Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and staff connectedness. Facing a health crisis, the doctor leadership should be consolidated and for this reason, a high engagement of our doctors across the network is an essential key point. The oncology sanitary system should be continuously reinforced and should also be flexible plus so lid.