The MOU is the largest oncology centre in the Czech Republic in terms of the number of primarily treated adult patients with solid tumours and in the provision of oncology care. For cancer patients who are in the acute phase of antitumor treatment, or require supportive and nursing care, infection by any disease represents a much greater danger than for a healthy person. These patients also have a higher risk of infection and, in most cases, a more severe course of the disease, which was confirmed during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also became evident how challenging it is to protect them from this respiratory infection. The two new workplaces will expand the MOU's options for providing quality care in a safer outpatient environment. The technical design and operation of these workplaces employed modern technologies and elements that significantly reduce the spread of infections through air and contact.

“The European financial instrument REACT-EU aims to help hospital facilities effectively respond to increased hygiene requirements brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Oncology patients often have reduced immunity during treatment and belong to a very high-risk group. I am therefore very pleased that the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute has made use of co-financing from the European Union to provide patients with appropriate safety and comfort," describes Vlastimil Válek, the Czech Minister of Health.

"By implementing the project co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund under the REACT-EU scheme, we managed to construct new premises for the Outpatient Antitumor Treatment Department, the so-called 'ward,' on the 5th floor of Švejd’s pavilion, in record time. This modern and comprehensively conceived department will offer 41 spots for the application of antitumor treatment, compared to the previous 21. It will also provide significantly better and safer conditions for patients and staff," explains Marek Svoboda, the director of MOU, about the main benefits of the new department.

The increased spatial capacity and layout of the department will enable the safe accommodation of a larger number of patients and reduce their waiting time in waiting rooms. Technical solutions, such as contactless control elements and new ventilation systems, will reduce the risk of infection transmission. The ward also includes separate examination rooms for doctors and nurses, workplaces for inserting venous ports, and an individual box for the care of particularly high-risk patients. “The previous ward operated for much longer daily intervals than the usual working hours, and even so, we were unable to handle patients within the timeframe we desired. Last year, an average of 180 people per day were treated at the ward, of which a third were usually chemotherapy and the remaining were non-chemotherapeutic procedures, such as the administration of supportive and hormonal treatments. All of this was essentially taking place in two rooms,” adds Eva Vykoukalová, the ward’s head nurse.

The Outpatient Antitumor Treatment Department is also expected to offer a more welcoming environment for patients and staff. Both the reception area and the spacious waiting room for patients, as well as the daily room for nurses, have a dignified appearance. "Another problem was the minimal possibility of ensuring privacy for patients. Therefore, we are pleased that the new premises now also offer them greater comfort and privacy," Vykoukalová adds.

An indispensable aspect of treating cancer patients is the patient's mental well-being. For this reason, MOU has established a collaboration with the Brno University of Technology (BUT). The department is distinctively designed with a floor pattern that extends onto the doors and walls in the corridors, reminiscent of the calming and simultaneously "life-giving" force of a flowing river. The walls are adorned with large-format paintings. “I am delighted with the visionary approach of Mr. Marek Svoboda, the director of MOU, who invited the Faculty of Fine Arts, along with the Faculty of Architecture, to collaborate on design of the new day ward. I hope our work will make the stay of clients more pleasant because that is ultimately the most important thing. I am proud that MOU is our partner institution, where art, design, and architecture students find application. In addition to artistic and architectural adjustments to the space, the collaboration also extended to graphic design, as FFA students also contribute to the new visual identity of MOU,” says Milan Houser, Vice-Rector for external relations at BUT.