Microsurgery influences breast reconstruction and its timing in patients with breast cancer: A population-based multilevel analysis.

Background: The number of post-mastectomy breast reconstructions performed in patients with breast cancer varies widely. This study aimed to assess geographic and temporal variability and associated factors from 2018 to 2020, including the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This population-based cohort study was conducted in women who underwent mastectomy for invasive breast cancer from 2018 to 2020 in the Catalan public healthcare system, with follow-up until November 2022.

[Improvement process of community podiatric care service for people with diabetes mellitus in Catalonia].

In 2009, the Catalan Health Service (Servei Català de la Salut) introduced community podiatric care for people with diabetes mellitus and chronic vascular or neuropathic conditions as part of its service portfolio. After 10 years, an evaluation, review, and improvement of the service was promoted, carrying out various actions between 2018 and 2024. The improvement process was carried out collaboratively and participatively, involving multiple stakeholders.

[Operational planning of health services: How do we make it possible?].

Introduction And Objective: The Catalan Health Service carries out the operational planning of service delivery and organization. The goal is to describe the methodology and procedure followed to perform these functions.

Methods: The process of operational planning in healthcare services (OPHS) is continuous, dynamic, participatory, objective, and adaptable.

Socioeconomic Status and Distance to Reference Centers for Complex Cancer Diseases: A Source of Health Inequalities? A Population Cohort Study Based on Catalonia (Spain).

The centralization of complex surgical procedures for cancer in Catalonia may have led to geographical and socioeconomic inequities. In this population-based cohort study, we assessed the impacts of these two factors on 5-year survival and quality of care in patients undergoing surgery for rectal cancer (2011-12) and pancreatic cancer (2012-15) in public centers, adjusting for age, comorbidity, and tumor stage. We used data on the geographical distance between the patients' homes and their reference centers, clinical patient and treatment data, income category, and data from the patients' district hospitals.