EUnetCCC – European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres

Background

October 1, 2024 marks the starting date of the new European Joint Action EUnetCCC – European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centers, the largest European healthcare initiative to date. As part of the EU4Health programme, this Joint Action brings together 163 partner institutions from 31 countries over a period of four years, with the aim of establishing a high-performing and sustainable network of certified Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCCs) across Europe.

Despite medical advancements, there are still significant disparities in cancer research and care across Europe, both between and within individual countries. In particular, cancer patients in structurally disadvantaged regions often lack equal access to innovative treatments. Furthermore, there is currently no consistent set of criteria for the recognition and certification of cancer centers and networks across Europe.

EUnetCCC addresses these challenges by building common European criteria and standards, digital tools, and cross-border networks of CCCs to sustainably improve cancer research and care.

Project Objective

A central goal of the project is to implement one of the key actions of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan: by 2028, at least 100 CCCs across Europe are to be certified, ensuring that 90% of eligible cancer patients have access to high-quality care in such centres. To achieve this, the project is developing common European standards, introducing a maturity model and support measures for further development, and implementing digital tools for quality measurement. The collaboration between centers will also foster systematic exchange of knowledge, best practices, and research outcomes.

Key project objectives at a glance:

• Establishing a European network of at least 100 CCCs by 2028

• Developing a European certification scheme for CCCs based on a set of certification criteria and standards

• Creating p maturity model for the systematic development of CCCs and Comprehensive Cancer Care Networks (CCCNs)

• Implementing digital data collection and analysis tools for quality assurance

• Developing, updating, and implementing European patient pathway templates

• Building and operating a European patient pathway repository

• Developing a sustainability strategy for the network based on practical insights from pilot implementations

Together, these measures pursue the overarching goal of reducing disparities in care, improving quality, and ensuring sustainable access to certified, high-performing cancer centers across Europe.

Our Role in the EUnetCCC Joint Action

Our Research Group Digital Health plays a key role in several central tasks within the EUnetCCC consortium. We are developing a digital tool designed to support CCCs and CCCNs on their journey to certification, providing them with the possibiity of self-assessment of criteria and standards, an overview of their current level of maturity as well as the certification standards they have already met. This tool will be implemented, piloted, and evaluated during the course of EUnetCCC.

In addition, we contribute our expertise in structured patient care: we are developing new European Patient Pathway Templates, updating existing templates from the previous projects iPAAC and CraNE, and supporting their application in several pilot networks.

Another key focus of our work is the creation of a European Patient Pathway Repository and the development and testing of a governance framework to ensure the continuous development and implementation of patient pathways at the European level.

More Information

Contact: Dr. Peggy Richter
EUnetCCC on LinkedIn: here