Health Policies Archives

Kapa3 at the 13th Panhellenic Oncology Nursing Symposium: From Knowledge to Practice, with People at the Centre of Care

Three scientific contributions highlighting healthcare professionals’ educational needs, the financial burden of cancer, and the importance of patient navigation in comprehensive oncology care.

30 October – 1 November 2026 | Montana Hotel, Karpenisi, Greece

Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre will participate in the 13th Panhellenic Oncology Nursing Symposium, organised by the Oncology Nursing Sector of the Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE), taking place from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in Karpenisi, Greece.

Under the central theme “Driving Change, Creating Hope,” this year’s Symposium will provide an important opportunity for scientific exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration and discussion on the future of oncology nursing and comprehensive cancer care.

Kapa3’s participation will include three confirmed scientific contributions, bringing together healthcare professional education, the socioeconomic consequences of cancer and the role of structured patient navigation in improving access to care.

Although these topics address different dimensions of oncology, they share a common objective: to explore how scientific knowledge can be translated into meaningful, accessible and measurable improvements in the care provided to people affected by cancer.

1. Educational Needs of Healthcare Professionals: From Knowledge Acquisition to Meaningful Change

Saturday, 31 October 2026 | 17:30–19:00

Open Scientific Discussion

“Educational Needs of Healthcare Professionals: A Critical Issue for Contemporary Oncology Care”

Moderator: Evangeli Bista, PhD(c), MBA, MSc, BSc, Co-founder of Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre.

Modern oncology care is evolving rapidly. New therapeutic approaches, personalised care, increasing psychosocial needs, digital transformation and the integration of Artificial Intelligence are fundamentally changing the knowledge and competencies required of healthcare professionals.

However, participation in educational activities does not automatically translate into improvements in professional practice.

This scientific discussion will address a central challenge in continuing professional education: how to move beyond the delivery of scientific information towards the effective assimilation, application and evaluation of knowledge.

The discussion will follow a structured pathway:

Identifying Needs → Education → Knowledge Acquisition → Assimilation → Application → Evaluation → Improved Care

Particular attention will be given to absorptive capacity, knowledge translation, organisational learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of professional and digital competencies.

An important dimension of the discussion concerns the organisational environment in which healthcare professionals are expected to apply their knowledge.

Leadership, trust, organisational culture, staffing, mentoring, access to information and opportunities for continuous learning can either facilitate or hinder the translation of scientific knowledge into everyday clinical practice.

The discussion will bring together the following participants:

Ourania Govina
Theocharis Konstantinidis
Giorgos Kapetanakis
Theodora Kappou
Maria Lavdaniti
Aikaterini Manousou
Aikaterini Papadimitriou
Dimitrios Papageorgiou

Drawing on different academic, clinical, professional, managerial and patient-centred perspectives, the discussion aims to identify shared priorities for continuing education in contemporary oncology care.

The central question is:

How can we move from delivering knowledge to ensuring its meaningful assimilation and practical application, while developing healthcare professionals and organisations capable of continuous learning and measurable improvement?

2. Accessibility in Cancer Care: The Intersection of Health, Society and Economy

Scientific Roundtable

“Access to Healthcare Services for Patients with Malignant Neoplastic Disease: A Health–Society–Economy Perspective”

Session Chairs: Ioanna Tsatsou and Maria Lavdaniti.

As part of this roundtable, Evangeli Bista will deliver a presentation entitled:

“The Financial Burden of Cancer on Patients and Their Families”

A cancer diagnosis is not solely a medical event. It frequently brings substantial social and financial consequences that affect both patients and their families.

Loss or reduction of income, frequent travel for treatment, additional healthcare-related expenses, caregiving responsibilities and difficulties maintaining employment can significantly affect quality of life and access to appropriate care.

The concept of financial toxicity describes the economic hardship and distress associated with cancer and its treatment.

Financial toxicity may contribute to psychological distress, financial insecurity, reduced social participation and inequalities in access to healthcare and supportive resources.

Drawing on Kapa3’s experience in social guidance, patient navigation and support for people affected by cancer, the presentation will explore financial burden as an essential dimension of person-centred oncology care.

The roundtable will also include:

Georgios Manomenidis: “Social Determinants of Access to Oncology Care”
Maria Lavdaniti: “The Role of Nurses and the Interdisciplinary Team in Reducing Barriers to Access”

Together, these contributions will examine accessibility from complementary perspectives, highlighting the complex relationship between health services, socioeconomic conditions and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Equitable access to care depends not only on the availability of healthcare services, but also on people’s actual ability to access and use them.

3. The Role of Patient Navigation in Oncology Care: A Systematic Review

Oral Scientific Presentation

“The Role of Patient Navigation in Oncology Care: A Systematic Review”

Authors:

Maria-Garyfallia Barka
Psychology student, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences; Volunteer, Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre.

Evangeli Bista
Social Scientist, PhD(c), MBA, MSc, BSc; Co-founder, Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre.

This scientific contribution falls within the field of psychosocial oncology care and examines the role of structured patient navigation in improving continuity, coordination and accessibility throughout the cancer journey.

Cancer diagnosis and treatment are associated with multiple needs extending beyond clinical management.

Patients and their families often require assistance in understanding medical and administrative information, navigating healthcare services, accessing social rights and benefits, managing practical difficulties and obtaining psychosocial support.

The systematic review examines international scientific literature published between 2015 and 2026, drawing on searches conducted in PubMed and Embase.

The review focuses on patient navigation, psychosocial support, counselling and care coordination, exploring their contribution to comprehensive oncology care.

In addition, practice-based data collected through Kapa3’s activities are considered in order to connect international evidence with the needs of patients and caregivers in the Greek healthcare and social support context.

The findings highlight the importance of organised, interdisciplinary navigation models involving healthcare professionals, social workers, psychologists and other relevant professionals.

Patient navigation is not simply the provision of information.

It is a structured process of identifying needs, supporting decision-making, facilitating access to appropriate services and helping patients navigate the multiple challenges arising throughout their cancer journey.

The presentation reinforces the importance of developing coordinated and person-centred support pathways that address medical, psychological, social and practical needs.

From Scientific Research to Kapa3’s Everyday Practice

Kapa3’s three scientific contributions reflect the organisation’s commitment to connecting research, professional education and social support with the lived experiences of people affected by cancer.

The education of healthcare professionals, the recognition of cancer-related financial hardship and the implementation of structured patient navigation are not isolated priorities.

They represent interconnected dimensions of a broader approach to oncology care.

Effective professional education can strengthen the ability to identify patient needs. Recognition of socioeconomic barriers can improve the relevance of supportive services. Structured navigation can help connect patients with appropriate professionals, resources and care pathways.

Together, these elements contribute to a model of healthcare that is more coordinated, equitable and responsive to people’s real needs.

This approach is also reflected in the development of MYRTO – Kapa3’s AI-Supported Digital Social Navigator, an innovative initiative designed to improve access to evidence-informed information about social rights, benefits, administrative procedures and available support services.

MYRTO is developed in collaboration with SimasiaAI, with the valuable support of the TIMA Charitable Foundation.

The initiative demonstrates Kapa3’s commitment to combining digital innovation with human-centred guidance, health literacy, social inclusion and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence.

Driving Change, Creating Hope

For Kapa3, participating in the 13th Panhellenic Oncology Nursing Symposium represents another opportunity to strengthen scientific dialogue, share knowledge and develop collaborations between healthcare professionals, academic institutions and civil society organisations.

Patients’ lived experiences provide valuable insights into the challenges that healthcare systems must address.

When these experiences are systematically documented, examined through scientific research and incorporated into professional education and service development, they can become a powerful source of meaningful change.

Scientific progress creates real value when it translates into better everyday experiences, fewer barriers and more effective support for people living with cancer.

At Kapa3, we remain committed to advancing a model of oncology care that recognises the full complexity of patients’ needs and supports people throughout every stage of their cancer journey.

Because care does not end with treatment. It embraces the whole of life.

Symposium Information

13th Panhellenic Oncology Nursing Symposium
“Driving Change, Creating Hope”

Dates: 30 October – 1 November 2026
Venue: Montana Hotel, Karpenisi, Greece

Organiser: Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE) – Oncology Nursing Sector

Official event website:
https://oncologynursingcongress.esne.gr/

Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre
https://www.kapa3.gr

Explore MYRTO – Digital Social Navigator
https://kapa3-cag-rag-hybrid-deploy.onrender.com/

Mapping the efficiency of cancer care in Greece: findings from the All.Can Greece report

Cancer care efficiency in Greece remains one of the most complex and pressing challenges for the Greek health system — not only in terms of its clinical burden, but also in how care is organized around the patient.

With approximately 63,000 new cancer cases diagnosed annually and more than 32,000 cancer-related deaths each year, Greece faces a steadily increasing oncological burden. Projections suggest that cancer incidence will rise by around 23% by 2040, further intensifying pressure on health services.

Against this backdrop, All.Can Greece has published a landmark report titled “Mapping the Efficiency of Cancer Care in Greece”, based on the pilot implementation of the All.Can Action Guide for Efficient Cancer Care.

Rather than simply describing the current situation, the report aims to measure it — identifying where efficiency is lost across the cancer care pathway and where targeted reforms could make the greatest impact.

Cancer care efficiency in Greece: delays in care delivery

One of the most critical findings of the report relates to delays in the patient journey.

Despite the existence of modern infrastructure and highly specialized oncology centres, significant delays persist between initial suspicion, diagnosis, and the start of treatment.

These delays are not the result of a single bottleneck, but of systemic fragmentation:

fragmented referral pathways,
limited coordination between levels of care,
and the absence of standardized clinical protocols.

A key structural weakness is the lack of systematic monitoring of waiting times and time-to-treatment indicators. As a result, inefficiencies remain partially invisible to the system itself, limiting the ability to implement targeted improvements.

Fragmentation across the care continuum

The report highlights a broader issue of fragmentation in cancer care delivery.

The patient journey from primary care to specialist oncology services is often not clearly structured or consistently coordinated. Referral pathways depend heavily on individual practice rather than standardized national protocols.

A major gap is the absence of structured patient navigation services. In practice, this means that patients and families are often left to navigate a complex system on their own, increasing delays and adding unnecessary psychological burden.

At the same time, multidisciplinary tumor boards represent a positive development, supporting collaborative clinical decision-making across specialties. However, systematic monitoring of their performance remains limited.

The development of Comprehensive Cancer Centers is identified as a promising step forward, although further regulatory strengthening and clearer governance structures are still needed to maximize their impact.

Patient-centered care: progress with remaining gaps

Greece has made notable progress in collecting Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs), reflecting a growing commitment to integrating patient perspectives into care delivery.

However, patients’ access to their own clinical data remains limited, restricting their ability to actively participate in decision-making processes.

In addition, patient education and shared decision-making are not yet systematically embedded across the health system.

Another important gap concerns survivorship care. As cancer survival rates improve, the lack of structured long-term follow-up pathways leaves many patients without continuous support after active treatment ends.

Key policy directions

The report outlines several strategic priorities for improving cancer care efficiency in Greece:

Development of a comprehensive national cancer strategy with clear targets and governance mechanisms
Strengthening coordination across all levels of care
Implementation of standardized clinical pathways with defined time-to-treatment and quality indicators
Investment in oncology workforce capacity, particularly in shortage specialties
Establishment of structured patient navigation programmes
Acceleration of Comprehensive Cancer Center development
Systematic use of health data for monitoring performance and accountability
Greater patient engagement through PROMs, PREMs, and shared decision-making

Conclusion: a system with strong foundations but limited integration

Greece has many of the essential building blocks for a high-performing cancer care system — including infrastructure, clinical expertise, and emerging digital health capabilities.

However, the key challenge lies not in the existence of these components, but in their integration.

The All.Can Greece report highlights a system that is still operating in silos: strong individual elements that do not yet function as a fully connected care pathway.

In oncology, this lack of integration is not merely an organizational issue. It directly affects timeliness, patient experience, and ultimately outcomes.

The opportunity now lies in moving from fragmented capacity to coordinated care — where patients no longer have to bridge the gaps between system components themselves.

Source: Mapping-the-Efficiency-of-Cancer-Care-in-Greece-FINAL

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

EOPYY: New reimbursement framework for respiratory devices – What changes for patients

The reimbursement of respiratory devices under EOPYY has been updated through a new decision published in the Government Gazette (FEK) on April 27, 2026.

On April 27, 2026, a new EOPYY decision was published in the Government Gazette, establishing revised reimbursement prices for respiratory devices such as CPAP, Auto CPAP, and BiPAP machines.

These are medical devices primarily used by patients with respiratory disorders, including sleep apnoea, and they represent a fundamental part of daily treatment and quality of life.

EOPYY reimbursement for respiratory devices: what changes

With this regulation:

specific reimbursement prices are defined for each category of respiratory device
the prices apply to all products included in the Reimbursed Medical Devices Register
previous decisions for the same categories are replaced

Prices are unified per device category, regardless of manufacturer or commercial model.

What this means for patients

The new EOPYY reimbursement framework for respiratory devices provides a clearer structure for people living with respiratory conditions who depend on these devices in their daily lives:

it clarifies what is covered by EOPYY
it strengthens transparency regarding equipment costs
it ensures access to essential therapeutic tools that are not a choice, but a necessity

In some cases, a patient co-payment may apply when the device price exceeds the reimbursement amount.

Temporary nature of the regulation

The decision is considered temporary, as it is part of a transitional framework until the completion of the negotiation process for final pricing.

Nevertheless, it is fully applicable from the moment of its publication in the Government Gazette and constitutes the current reimbursement framework.

A more human perspective

Behind technical terms, codes, and regulatory tables, there are people who rely on these devices to breathe better, sleep better, and maintain a more stable daily life.

A clear reimbursement framework is not merely an administrative measure. It helps reduce uncertainty in situations that are already difficult to manage.

Source

The full text of the decision, along with the detailed list of reimbursed respiratory devices and corresponding prices, is available (in Greek) in the Government Gazette (FEK) of April 27, 2026.

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

When Violence Meets Burnout: What Turkish Doctors and Nurses Reveal

The study, published in International Nursing Review (2025), examines the impact of violence perpetrated by patients and visitors against healthcare professionals in Türkiye. It was conducted by researchers from Izmir Tinaztepe University, Tekirdag Namik Kemal University, and Izmir University of Economics.

A total of 387 physicians and nurses participated, with the aim of assessing how workplace violence influences burnout and whether fear of future violence acts as a mediating factor. In this context, violence can manifest verbally (shouting, threats, insults), physically (pushing, hitting, even more severe incidents), or psychologically (intimidation, pressure).

Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the researchers analyzed the effects of violence on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.

Key findings of the study include:

Violence increases burnout: Exposure to violence significantly heightens emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.
Unexpected resilience: In some cases, exposure reduces diminished personal accomplishment, suggesting identity reinforcement or coping mechanisms.
Fear of future violence: While not strongly linked to exhaustion or depersonalization, it lowers feelings of accomplishment.
Profession-specific differences: Nurses report far higher levels of direct violence, exhaustion, and depersonalization, while physicians show greater fear of future violence but stronger accomplishment.
Policy–practice gap: Despite existing legislation in Türkiye, healthcare staff feel insufficiently supported.
Cultural factors: Normalization of violence, patriarchal norms, and stigma affect both experiences and reporting.
Solutions: Organizational support, violence-prevention training, and simulation-based programs reduce fear and burnout, while structural reforms (e.g., shorter waiting times) help alleviate patient frustration.

A Call for Change:
Workplace violence is a serious occupational hazard for healthcare workers. It leads to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced accomplishment, with varying intensity across professions. Addressing it requires not only laws but also meaningful organizational, cultural, and systemic interventions to protect professionals and improve patient care.