DOHA: The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has asked all healthcare facilities to provide it with details of all their newly diagnosed cancer patients by December 1. The details need to be sent to the Qatar National Cancer Registry (wshelpai@sch.gov.qa) set up under the five-year National Cancer Strategy launched in 2011.
After expiry of the December 1 deadline, the healthcare facilities will be assessed for compliance. Those failing to comply with this directive will no longer have the privileges to perform any cancer surgeries and the National Health Insurance Scheme (Seha) will stop payments for those surgeries, warned a circular issued by the Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department at SCH.
Under the national cancer strategy, a multidisciplinary team (MDT) will deal with all the cancer patients. Once diagnosed all the cases need to be discussed at the site specific MDT with the nominated lead. No treatment should take place until this has happened, said the circular.
All cancer surgery needs to be carried out in line with Qatar Cancer Clinical Guidelines. The four private hospitals have been asked to designate their clinicians treating cancer. The nominated clinicians are required to regularly attend the Qatar Tumor Board meetings. The Qatar National Cancer Strategy has made five recommendations for all facilities diagnosing, treating and caring for cancer patients.
All suspected cancer patients should be seen (not treated) by a specialist within 48 hours.
All cancer patients are to be cared for as part of a multi-disciplinary team. All treatments for cancer should conform with evidence based national standards/guidelines that are applicable to all providers. All cancer services will have an annual peer review. Providers should designate which clinicians diagnose and treat which cancers. Facilities that fail to comply with the this rule will have their license to treat cancer patients removed.
The Peninsula
