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‘SIOU’ training programme: providing ambulatory care for cancer patients

October 22nd 2018

Starting in 2018, with support from the ERDF, ULB's continuing education centre ULB HeLSci offers a university certificate in integrated care in ambulatory oncology (‘SIOU’). Designed for frontline healthcare professionals, this certificate is resolutely interdisciplinary.
 

The university certificate in integrated care in ambulatory oncology (‘SIOU’) aims to help healthcare professionals acquire the knowledge necessary to develop an integrated approach of oncological care. Its ultimate goal is to improve ambulatory care for cancer patients. ‘The SIOU certificate is organised in French and is mainly intended for general practitioners, nurses, physical therapists, and pharmacists,’ explains Sylvia Pecenko, coordinator of the programme at ULB HeLSci.

Outside the hospital
This training program—the first of its kind—fits into a trend towards taking care of oncology patients out of hospitals. More and more cancer treatments are administered orally, and pilot projects for home hospitalisation are being launched throughout the country. ‘Frontline healthcare professionals are currently seeing increasing numbers of cancer patients,’ observes Sylvia Pecenko. ‘Yet they have very few contacts, if any, with the hospitals where these patients are treated and are not always aware of what treatments are administered. The SIOU training program also provides a platform where participants can develop better communication with other professions, in collaboration with hospitals.’

The SIOU certificate's modules
In order to start from the same baseline, all participants are first invited to follow an online training session, OncoStep, which refreshes their basic knowledge in oncology(1). Then, a series of 5 face-to-face modules tackle the following topics:

  1. Clinical oncology: from diagnosis to treatment.
  2. Ambulatory onco-pharmacology: new drugs and their delivery methods.
  3. Supportive care and home hospitalisation: physiotherapy, psycho-oncology, onco-sexology, nutrition, pain management, palliative care, etc.
  4. Specific considerations for paediatric and geriatric patients.
  5. Interdisciplinary collaboration: case studies and simulations.

Participants who complete the programme's 15 credits and pass the final evaluation will receive a ‘Certificat d’Université de l’ULB en Soins intégrés en oncologie ambulatoire’.

In practice

  • Each module lasts 2 to 4 days, for a total duration of 14 days.
  • The next session will be held from February to late May, 2019.
  • Registration fee: €1,450
  • Contact: formcont.polesante@ulb.ac.be
  • Learn more at http://formcont.ulb.ac.be
 
 
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