Only in every fifth radiotherapy center, cancer patients did not have to wait for surgery in 2011-2013. In other institutions, the waiting time ranged from a dozen to several dozen days – according to the report of experts of the Lazarski University in Warsaw.
According to the main author of the study, Dr. Jerzy Gryglewicz from the Lazarski University, in 2011-2013, the National Health Fund’s expenditure on radiotherapy significantly increased, but many patients still have to wait for several weeks or even months for radiotherapy, which is one of the main methods cancer treatment, in addition to surgery and chemotherapy.
The report “Financing of radiotherapy services in 2011-2013” analyzed 33 facilities where radiotherapy is used. Only in 7 centers, i.e. 21 percent. of these, cancer patients did not have to wait for surgery. In the remaining 26 facilities (79%), the waiting time ranged from a dozen to several dozen days. In nine of them, patients waited less than 25 days, in ten – at least 25 days, and in five centers the average waiting time for radiotherapy was longer than 50 days.
The maximum waiting time for radiotherapy was 95 days, it happened in the radiotherapy ward of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Łódź. “The next center, with 88 days of waiting for radiotherapy, was the radiotherapy ward I at the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz, and the third in the ranking IV oncological radiation therapy ward at the Lublin Oncology Center in Lublin with 76 days” – reads the report.
Within the framework of contracts concluded with the National Health Fund in 2011-2013, over 600 jobs were implemented every year. radiotherapy procedures. Their number increases every year. In 2012, over 640 jobs were performed under contracts. of these treatments, i.e. by 5 percent. more compared to 2011 (610 134). In 2012, all radiotherapy treatments were performed on 69 patients.
According to the report, in 2013, the greatest availability of patients to radiotherapy services (determined on the basis of funds allocated by the provincial branch of the National Health Fund for one insured in a given province, the so-called value per capita) occurred in the following provinces: Zachodniopomorskie (PLN 30,35 per capita) , Świętokrzyskie (PLN 30,33) and Śląskie (PLN 28,59); the smallest was in the following voivodeships: Opolskie (PLN 10,23), Lubuskie (PLN 11,09) and Podkarpackie (PLN 11,19).
In 2013, the highest availability of patients to brachytherapy services, consisting in direct irradiation of lesions and defined in the same way, was recorded in the following voivodeships: Świętokrzyskie (PLN 6,88 per inhabitant), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (PLN 3,15) and Greater Poland (3,04 PLN); the lowest was in the following voivodships: Lubuskie (PLN 0,92), Opolskie (PLN 0,95) and Warmińsko-Mazurskie (PLN 1,09).
In the case of teleradiotherapy, when the radiation source is located at a distance from the tissues, the highest availability of services in 2013 was registered in the following voivodeships: Zachodniopomorskie (PLN 28,66 per capita), Śląskie (PLN 26,25) and Świętokrzyskie (23,45 zloty); On the other hand, it was the lowest in the following voivodeships: Podkarpackie (PLN 8,83), Opolskie (PLN 9,28) and Lubuskie (PLN 10,17).
The report “Financing of radiotherapy services in 2011-2013” was commissioned by the Polish Society of Oncology. The report shows that in 2013 the National Health Fund concluded contracts for radiotherapy treatments worth over PLN 768 million. In 2012, over PLN 749 million was allocated to these procedures, and in 2011 – over PLN 671 million. Thus, the increase in these expenses in 2011-2013 exceeded 11%.
This is another study by the University of Lodz experts on the financing of oncological treatment in Poland. In 2013, the results of analyzes concerning the use of chemotherapy in our country were presented. (PAP)