The Systemic Treatment Program aims to improve equitable access to high-quality cancer care for all patients in Ontario. How? By setting standards and guidelines for all systemic cancer treatments.
Systemic treatments affect your whole body. They include chemotherapy, hormone therapy and supportive care treatment. They can be taken via pill or injection, or intravenously (IV).
The program also works with oncologists and other oncology professionals to make sure that these standards and new research actually change and improve practice.
Cancer drug and regimen information available in the Cancer Drugs section of this website describes the chemotherapy choices used across Ontario, including those funded by the New Drug Funding Program.
Chemotherapy demands are increasing
Over the last four years, systemic treatment wait times have remained stable despite a growing number of patients being treated with more cancer drugs. Ontario requires more resources – particularly medical oncologists and other oncology professionals – to keep pace with the growing number of patients who need systemic treatment. As a province, we also need to improve the way we distribute and organize chemotherapy services so that more patients have better access to high-quality chemotherapy, close to home.
Provincial plan to improve services
The Regional Systemic Treatment Program Provincial Plan lays out a strategy to improve the way we distribute and organize ambulatory chemotherapy services across the province. Ultimately, the strategy aims to improve access to timely, high-quality systemic treatment that is safe for both patients and providers.
Building upon individual plans developed within each region, this plan reviews the current situation and describes the actions needed over the next few years to meet the increasing demand for systemic treatment in the province.
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