Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University
17 December 2023, Ankara, Türkiye - the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), in collaboration with the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF), signed a shared Vision Statement with members of the Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) Expert Working Group in Türkiye.
The VBHC Working Group, which has been working collaboratively with UNITAR and GSF since July 2022, includes representatives from Marmara University’s School of Medicine, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University’s School of Medicine, the Turkish Cancer Institute, and the Turkish Ministry of Health.
The VBHC Programme in Türkiye envisions improved health outcomes for patients through the implementation of the value-based healthcare approach. The ongoing projects aim to identify and reduce delays in early screening, diagnosis, and surgical treatment for breast cancer.
VBHC project receives prize for oral presentation
Dr. Güldeniz Karadeniz Çakmak is a project lead in the VBHC Programme in Türkiye. On 15-17 December 2023, at the Turkish Surgical Investigation Congress in Ankara, she presented preliminary results from over 530 surveys of patients with locally advanced breast cancer.
Results show that about half the patients surveyed did not know how to conduct a breast self-examination. Fear of death and lack of awareness were identified by patients as the leading causes of delays in consulting a doctor. Moreover, hesitancy regarding the potential side effects of treatment was identified as the preeminent cause of delays in post-surgical chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
With more than 500 participants, this congress proved to be a fruitful opportunity to communicate with the Turkish medical community on the VBHC programme and its impact. Dr. Çakmak and her team were awarded the second prize for best oral presentation.
In 2024, the VBHC Programme in Türkiye will continue data collection to inform the development of pilot projects aimed at reducing delays in screening, diagnosis, and treatment and improving health outcomes for patients with breast cancer. UNITAR and the GSF are looking forward to working with their partners in Türkiye for patient impact.