As part of Qatar’s National Cancer Program, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), a provider of a wide range of primary health care services, is making screening mammography and FIT kits available throughout the country under a population-based Breast and Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
The Ministry of Public Health of the State of Qatar strongly recommends that both men and women aged between 50 and 74 showing no symptoms to undergo bowel cancer screening tests and that women aged between 45 and 69 with no symptoms get screened for breast cancer.
Talking to Your Patients
Patients and their family members should understand the potential life-saving benefits of screening, how to get screened, risk factors to be aware of as they are informed about cancer, symptoms of breast and bowel cancer and preventive measures they can take to lower the risk of contracting the disease.
PHCC provides online and printed material that addresses these points—all of which can be shared with your patients. PHCC also provides seminars, lectures and other learning opportunities for physicians, so that you can explore the most effective ways of educating patients and their families about cancer and screening.
The most important message to deliver to patients is that screening saves lives and not all abnormal results mean cancer.
Results
PHCC will share the results of your patient’s screening, to foster collaboration and quality care using the most up-to-date information.
The Screening Procedures
Digital mammography delivers substantial advantages to you and your patient:
- Higher quality images than traditional film.
- Reduced number of retakes and repeat procedures.
- Less time spent in the exam room, which increases patient compliance.
- Faster communication of patient’s results.
- More refined detection tools, such as computer-aided diagnosis (CAD).
- Greater accuracy, with image enhancement algorithms that make abnormalities in dense tissue more clear.
The Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) is a new test that improves bowel screening:
- More comfortable, private and convenient for patients.
- Increased chance of compliance due to simplicity.
- Increased chance of compliance due to minimal preparation necessary.
- No appointment scheduling needed to return samples to the PHCC laboratory.
- Greater accuracy than the guaiac FOBT method.
- The test is non-invasive.
“Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed female malignant disease in Arab populations.”
Professor Lotfi Chouchane,
Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar
“Bowel cancer is the most common cancer among Qatar’s male population.”
Dr Osama al-Homsi, Hamad Medical Corporation’s National Centre for Cancer Care and Research Hematology and Oncology chairman and senior consultant.
Education
PHCC engages in widespread education activities to spread factual information about breast and bowel cancer. To promote healthy communities, we teach the public about risks, symptoms and preventive measures—including screening.
Benefits for You and Your Patients
We provide state-of-the-art screening facilities, a team of leading physicians and advanced technical equipment to deliver high-quality care for patients.
Facilities
We have taken great care to create a private, comfortable atmosphere for your patients. We believe a comfortable, well-appointed setting is part of providing attentive care and increases compliance.
Healthcare Providers
Our healthcare providers have dedicated their careers to advancing treatment of specific pathologies and bring that expertise to every patient. PHCC staffs sub-specialty experts who take a collaborative approach to patient care.
Technology
PHCC uses the most advanced equipment—both for imaging and the information systems that communicate results and patient information among clinicians. You benefit from clear, consistent quality across the care continuum.