How to begin treatment under the Rapid Oncology Therapy package?

The first step towards diagnosis and treatment under the Rapid Oncology Therapy package is to visit a general practitioner who will take a detailed interview, evaluate patient’s health issues and, if needed, prescribe necessary tests. If the suspicion of cancer is confirmed on that basis, the GP refers the patient for consultation with a specialist physician, depending on the location of cancer, or an oncologist. For that purpose, the GP will issue the patient with a Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Card (DiLO Card).

The DiLO Card may also be issued by a specialist physician in an out-patient clinic upon cancer diagnosis, or at hospital, if the patient is diagnosed with a malignancy during hospitalisation (whether related to cancer or not). In that case, the card is issued subject to the confirmation of the diagnosis. The same rules apply to patients hospitalised for cancer.

DILO Cards may also be given to cancer patients who began their treatment before 1 January 2015 via their attending doctors at hospital to transition smoothly into the new scheme (source: http://pakietonkologiczny.gov.pl/o-terapii/).