Four public establishments are joining forces to organize territorial management of breast cancer. The new Public Federation of Senology (breast examinations) PACA-East aims to strengthen care coordination and improve patient pathways.
The Antoine Lacassagne Center in Nice and the Hospital Centers of Antibes Juan-Les-Pins, La Dracénie in Draguignan, and Menton announce the creation of the Public Federation of Senology PACA-East. This Inter-Hospital Medical Federation carries a common project: to structure the public offering in breast oncology across a wide and contrasting territory.
The four establishments are already developing cooperations. The creation of a federation marks a new stage. It provides a common framework for practices that have so far evolved through bilateral agreements. The project aims for better visibility for patients and enhanced coordination among teams spread across several cities.
This choice responds to a known epidemiological context. Breast cancer affects many women. Organized screening remains unequal, particularly in areas far from urban centers. Late diagnosis impacts pathways and treatment chances. The evolution of techniques and the concentration of medical expertise also compel hospitals to revise their organization. National authorizations in oncology furthermore require coherent structuring.
Thus, the PACA-East territory establishments affirm a shared objective: to reduce access disparities to care, organize clear channels, and reinforce continuity between nearby hospitals and reference centers. They also agree on the necessity of maintaining a visible and accessible public offering.
Professor Emmanuel Barranger emphasizes the challenge. “The creation of this federation illustrates our desire to move beyond institutional logic to build a true public senological oncology sector, coherent, visible, and patient-centered.” He also recalls the shared goal. “Together, we are structuring a solid territorial network, guaranteeing shared expertise and quality care for all women in the PACA-East territory.”
Common Governance and Operational Objectives
The Public Federation of Senology PACA-East relies on a conventional system. A common steering committee defines strategy and organizes cooperation. This mode of operation is intended to facilitate coordination among medical, nursing, and administrative teams. Projects will be defined collectively and monitored in a shared manner.
For Bastien Ripert, director general of the Antibes Hospital, the approach aligns with the regional strategy. “This approach is fully part of the hospital cooperation strategy, in favor of a territorial, solidary, and efficient public offering.” He also insists on patient expectations. “It meets a real need: to bring senological oncology expertise closer to patients while maintaining a high-quality level.”
The federation’s objectives are based on four axes. The first concerns the care offer. The establishments aim to pool certain expertise. They seek to structure the patient pathway from screening to rehabilitation. Waiting times for care must be reduced.
The second focus is on the visibility of the public offering. Joint campaigns on screening will be deployed. Communication should more easily direct patients to the public structures of the territory.
The third axis focuses on therapeutic innovation and research. Teams wish to share knowledge, compare practices, and disseminate technological advances. The goal is to improve access to innovation.
The fourth axis concerns training. Inter-establishment seminars and conferences will be organized. Professional exchanges should enhance team skills and harmonize practices.
Ludovic Voilmy, general director of the Hospital Center of La Dracéni, highlights the project’s purpose. “This federation allows networking of medical and paramedical expertise, sharing of innovations, and harmonization of practices for the direct benefit of patients.” Mylène Ezavin, director of the Hospital Center of Menton, emphasizes the territorial dimension. “It is a concrete illustration of the complementarity of public establishments in the territory and their shared commitment to quality, nearby, and forward-looking breast oncology.”
This new federation thus marks a shared commitment. Through it, the four establishments aim to provide clear, accessible, and coherent care across the entire PACA-East territory. This collective project aims to enhance care quality and bring expertise closer to patients in an organized and shared framework.
