Cali

Diagnostic laboratories (clinical and pathology labs) and blood bank

• The assessment revealed that immunohistochemistry wasn’t always available for diagnosis in the public sector.
• Availability of molecular diagnostics was limited.
• Quality standards for sample processing and diagnosis reports were absent.
• Systems for patient traceability were lacking.
• Public clinical laboratory services were often unavailable.
• The city was dependent on sporadic blood donations.

Medical imaging (radiology and nuclear medicine)

• The data highlighted limited availability of positron emission tomography (PET) and supply of PET tracers.
• There was a lack of quality control in the provision of nuclear medicine services.
• Ultrasound exams were undermined by prolonged waiting times.
• A lack of quality standards was observed in imaging studies.
• There was a lack of standardisation in diagnostic image archiving systems.

Surgical care

• The data revealed there were no guidelines or protocols to enhance treatment adherence and continuity of care.
• A lack of quality control mechanisms was observed across surgical care.
• Multidisciplinary teams weren’t always available for the surgical care of cancer patients.
• Information systems weren’t always implemented at surgical care centres for the evaluation of clinical results.

Palliative and supportive care

• Not all healthcare service financing companies had contracts with institutions providing palliative and supportive care.
• The regulatory framework to facilitate the provision of palliative care services was insufficient.
• The law for the issuance of a death certificate for cancer patients was interpreted ambiguously.

Medical oncology (adult and paediatric)

• There were shortages of hospital beds allocated for cancer patients, especially paediatrics.
• Some essential cancer medicines were not included in the Mandatory Health Plan.

Radiotherapy

• There was no uniformity around the treatments provided at radiotherapy centres.
• Radiotherapy services weren’t always available.
• A lack of radiotherapy quality assurance programmes was discovered at both institutional and city levels.

• Inequity was observed in the contracting models and delayed payments to healthcare service providers, causing financial instability.
• Disparities were found in the training and certification of human resources.

• There was a lack of standardisation in integrated cancer patient management.
• Treatment decisions were not always made by a multidisciplinary team.
• Quality assurance programmes were often absent.
• IT systems weren’t always implemented at cancer care centres for the routine evaluation of clinical results.

• Low cancer treatment adherence was observed in adult and paediatric patients.
• Administrative barriers affected access to cancer care.