More than a quarter of recognised breast cancer clinics in Flanders treat fewer patients than they are legally required to do so. The figures come from the Flemish Institute for Care Quality (VIZK). This is despite treating sufficient patients being a prerequisite to a clinic being given official recognition by the Federal Health and Invalidity Insurance Service, entitling those that are treated there to the repayment of (most) of the cost of their treatment. VIKZ calls for stricter checks to ensure that the criteria are being met before recognition is granted.
In order to become recognised as a breast clinic, a hospital ward that offers breast cancer treatment must meet high care and quality standards. One of the conditions is having sufficient experience in the field. Coordinating breast clinics must treat at least 125 breast tumours a year in order to be granted recognition. Satellite centres working under a recognised coordinating breast clinic, must treat at least 60 tumors per annum.
However, according to the Flemish Institute for Quality of Care’s (VIKZ) annual report 6 of the 29 recognised coordinating breast clinics and 5 of the 10 satellite centres do not reach the required numbers. VIKZ’s Svin Deneckere told VRT News that “Research has shown that the more patients a breast cancer clinic treats, the higher the patient’s chances of survival”.
Mr Deneckere refers to a 2023 report by the Federal Centre for Knowledge on Health Care. This showed that patients are 30% more likely to die of breast cancer if they seek treatment at an unauthorised breast clinic.
At the time the Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Flemish socialist) reacted by saying that he would scrap the reimbursement of medical costs for surgical procedures at unapproved breast clinics. Since 1 August 2024, breast cancer patients are only able to authorise breast clinics if they want their treatment to be reimbursed.
VIKZ advocates greater monitoring of the accreditation conditions by the Flemish government intervention where necessary to ensure the best quality of care for every patient at all times.