Improving access to treatments, medicines, aftercare and innovations
We want to make those choices of treatments, medicines, aftercare and innovations, which already exist but are far from being universally applied, more readily and promptly available to everyone.
What are we talking about?
- Treatments that can be applied everywhere and can be implemented in every centre, such as fitness training for cancer patients to combat long-term fatigue.
- Advanced complex treatments that need to be more readily available, such as the use of innovative medicines, high-risk surgery, or, for example, waiting with frequent monitoring for prostate cancer.
Some new developments require such a high degree of specialisation and expertise that it is better to limit them to just a few hospitals. Collaborating with and referring to those other hospitals ensures that these treatments are still available to anyone who needs them.
The challenge in this case is to actually bring this knowledge to the attention of the relevant specialist and patient so that it can be included in the treatment choice.
The diagnosis is followed by the process of choosing a treatment method. If not all options and possibilities are known or available, you can never make the right choice for what best fits the diagnosis.
“This has to change.”
This must change. For the patient, the doctors treating him, the scientists and researchers, the hospitals and other practitioners.
- For the patient: that they do get access to information about trials and treatments and that more treatments in hospitals are presented as options.
- For treating physicians: that they are more aware of all treatments available in the Netherlands that may be of value to the patient and, if necessary, actually provide this treatment.
- For scientists/researchers: that they get ideas for trials of alternatives to existing treatments that are effective for a different cross-section of the patient group.
- For hospitals and other practitioners: to ensure, where appropriate in collaboration, that all known effective treatment methods are implemented and become accessible to patients.
What is the role of Inspire2Live?
We want to inform anyone who needs it about all relevant treatment methods and where they are available. This allows people to come to a well-considered decision in consultation with their treating physician. We do this by means of, among other things
- The website Inspire2Go where you can find information about the best treatments for a number of types of cancer.
- The website Surgery without Incision, where you can find information on this subject and where you can, if you wish, submit your case. This will then be assessed by a specialist who will advise on whether operating without cutting is a good choice of treatment.
Inspire2Live is also involved in discussions with politicians to make medicines and treatments more available, both in the Netherlands and at a European level.
- We recently played a role in the Dutch Parliament’s approval of reimbursement from the basic health insurance for DNA analysis in case of metastatic cancer.
Click here for more information on what we have achieved.
Why do we do this?
When people actively ask for certain treatment methods, medication, aftercare or innovations, hospitals get a better idea of the need. This in turn leads hospitals to decide whether to offer treatments themselves or to refer more patients to places that do offer the treatment. This is how we work towards the best treatment for your diagnosis.
What else do we do?
Inspire2Live is involved in even more projects concerning access and implementation of medicines and treatments.
More projects