Category: Health System Changes

Participation in CA21152 – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care

Digital Health and Cancer Survivorship: Kapa3 at the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra

The Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 participated in the INE-CSC 2026 Conference, part of CA21152 – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care (INE-CSC), held on 25–26 May 2026 at the Faculty of Medicine (Polo III), University of Coimbra, in Coimbra, Portugal.

The conference was held under the theme “The Next Chapter – Empowering Individuals, Families, and Society for Cancer Survivorship & Supportive Care”, highlighting the need for new approaches to cancer survivorship, supportive care and the translation of innovation into real-world impact for people living with and beyond cancer, their families and society.

Kapa3’s presence in Coimbra represents another important step in its European engagement and in its ongoing effort to connect everyday experience in supporting cancer patients in Greece with European knowledge, research, digital innovation and health policy.

A key highlight was the participation in a round table discussion on facilitators and barriers to the implementation of digital health tools in oncology. The discussion was co-organised by Aristea Kyriaki Ladas and Christos Frantzidis and brought together voices from different European countries and organisations, including representatives from Kapa3, Acreditar Portugal, Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, ORCO / Madrid Regional Ministry of Health, as well as participants from Poland, Latvia and the United Kingdom.

Among the participants in the round table were Yannis Kontogiorgis and Despoina Pistiolis from Kapa3, Greece, contributing to the European dialogue on digital health, oncology navigation and the participatory development of solutions that respond to the real needs of patients and caregivers.

One of the key messages of the discussion was that digital innovation in oncology is not only a technological challenge. It is also a matter of policy, implementation, equity, trust and accessibility.

For digital tools to make a meaningful difference in cancer care and survivorship, they cannot remain isolated applications or pilot projects. They need to become part of real care pathways, be supported by appropriate policy environments, connect with interdisciplinary practice and be evaluated in terms of effectiveness, implementation readiness, accessibility, equity, sustainability and value.

The discussion also highlighted that digital tools must be designed around the real needs of patients and survivors, not only around technical possibilities. Accessibility across countries, languages, healthcare systems and levels of digital and health literacy must be built in from the beginning.

The role of patient organisations and cancer support communities was also identified as essential. These organisations can act as a bridge between technological innovation and the everyday reality of people affected by cancer. They understand the questions, barriers, fears and needs that are often not fully captured by formal care systems.

For Kapa3, this participation is directly linked to the development of Myrto, its digital health and rights navigator, designed as a tool for empowerment, guidance and support for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Myrto is not approached as a simple information tool. It is being designed as a participatory intervention built around the real needs of people with lived experience of cancer. It is connected to access to rights, social benefits, services, practical guidance and human escalation whenever needed.

The Coimbra experience strengthened the view that digital health must be human-centred, accessible, trustworthy and integrated into a broader ecosystem of care. Technology can meaningfully support cancer care only when it is designed with participation, trust, clear purpose and an equity-oriented approach.

Cancer survivorship is not only about completing treatment. It is about quality of life, mental health, social reintegration, work, family, everyday life, access to services and the feeling that no person is left alone after diagnosis or treatment.

Through its participation in European networks such as INE-CSC, Kapa3 continues to contribute to the dialogue on more equitable, participatory and person-centred cancer care. Care that uses technology without losing sight of the human being at its centre.

The future of cancer support will not depend only on better digital tools, but on better collaboration between patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, technology partners, patient organisations and policymakers.

For Kapa3, this is at the heart of its mission: transforming knowledge into action, technology into support, and the voice of patients into services that respond to their real needs.

More information: INE-CSC – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care.More information:
https://inecancersurvivorship.com

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