The OECI is a network of cancer institutes which aims to improve the quality of cancer
care and translational research in Europe from an organisational viewpoint. Although
physicians, nurses and researchers, constitute the core of cancer care and research,
a smooth organisation, efficient logistics and state of the art complex infrastructure is
needed to accelerate the production and application of personalised care approaches: the
comprehensive cancer centre. A strong organisation of cancer institutes at a European
level, such as OECI, is needed to contribute to the diffusion of knowledge on the quality
of organising cancer care and translational research.
The OECI is a continuously developing network, presently regrouping 68 cancer centres and
institutions across Europe. The OECI is working dynamically in crosscut expertise projects
organised by involving the OECI Working Groups, activities and Members. Currently, there
are 6 main Working Groups and 2 Activities which develop tools and programmes that
can assist in improving cancer care through education, quality improvement, production
of options and recommendations, standardising the molecular pathology approaches.
OECI cooperates with representative professional organisations at a European level
and investigates possibilities to team up with its American counterpart, the American
Association of Cancer Institutes. It aims to improve the quality of care and of the research
at a European level also in collaboration with the European Commission with a bottom
up approach. With various countries we explore the possibility to transfer at national
level tools developed thanks to a European cooperation and which could be tailored for
national use, such as the OECI accreditation and designation system.
The OECI is also exploring how to facilitate the interaction among national cancer
coordinating bodies and authorities to facilitate the possible transfer of already tested
organisational practice and check the feasibility to extend their applications at more wide
European level.
The 2013 Oncology Days, organised in conjunction with the 2013 Annual General
Assembly, aim to improve the role of the Organisation in supporting the coordination role
that Europe needs to reduce fragmentation, to give the possibility to all the cancer patients
to receive the best cures and to evaluate the costs-benefits linked with the application of
new therapeutic approaches in order to avoid unnecessary care approaches.
We thank the local Organisers and in particular the UZVUB Oncologic Center and the
Institut Jules Bordet which make possible the event.