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Cervical cancer screening

Residents of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius (BES islands) participate in a coordinated cervical cancer screening programme. Samples are collected by general practitioners on the islands and sent to Curaçao for laboratory analysis. The results are subsequently interpreted by specialists at Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands. The clinical outcomes are then shared with the general practitioners on the BES islands, who inform and treat the patients as needed. The programme is coordinated by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherlands.

This use case clearly demonstrates the potential of cross-border healthcare by leveraging laboratory capacity and clinical expertise across the Caribbean and European Netherlands, enabling high-quality care despite geographic fragmentation.

Challenge today

  • Coordination across multiple organisations and countries is time-consuming
  • Delays in data exchange can slow down diagnosis and treatment
  • Limited interoperability between systems increases manual effort
  • Risk of misinterpretation or errors due to fragmented information

Desired situation

  • Clinicians can access relevant patient data across organisations and borders
  • Data is timely, complete, and trusted
  • Results and interpretations are shared seamlessly between parties
  • Care can be delivered efficiently, safely, and without unnecessary delays

Required capabilities

  • Patient identification across organisational and national boundaries
  • Secure and reliable data exchange between systems
  • Standardised data formats for laboratory results and clinical interpretation
  • Traceability of data (who created, accessed, and updated information)
  • Patient Identity
  • Consent Management
  • Health Data Exchange
  • Terminology & Semantics
  • Audit & Logging

Impact

  • Improved patient safety through better access to information
  • Faster diagnosis and treatment cycles
  • Reduced administrative burden for healthcare professionals
  • Better use of regional and international expertise
  • Improved health outcomes for patients