On September 29, 2023, a series of meetings has started “About the future of oncology. Forum of patient organizations and clinical experts’’. The aim of the initiative implemented by the Polish Oncological Society is to exchange knowledge and experience, as well as a partnership dialogue between clinical experts and representatives of organizations gathering cancer patients.

“The role of patient organizations in social education and shaping health policy is unquestionable. No health care system will function properly without active and a well-educated patient. We, clinicians, are very interested in increasing the competences of this environment, which is why the meetings we plan are in the form of workshops aimed at exchanging experiences and knowledge” – prof. Ph.D. n. med. Piotr Rutkowski, chairman of the Polish Oncological Society.

From September 2023 to January 2024

Four educational meetings have been planned as part of the series, which will take place in September 2023 and January 2024. The first meeting entitled “Clinical guidelines in oncology – whether and how they work in Poland” was held on Friday, September 29, 2023, in Warsaw, at the National Institute of Oncology. Maria Skłodowska-Curie – National Research Institute (Narodowy Instytut Onkologii im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie – Państwowy Insytut Badawczy) at 5 Roentgen Street.

During the meeting, experts discussed, among others, the types of guidelines in Poland and the status of their implementation into clinical practice. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) guidelines were also discussed and the effects of the “One Voice, One Direction” project were presented. Representatives of the organization had the opportunity to share best practices in the education of oncology patients, which will then be collected in one publication and published at the end of the series.

Link to the meeting entitled: “Clinical guidelines in oncology – whether and how they work in Poland”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kOkCvhFSoM