Partnering for health: Stéphane Carré

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is one of the most difficult experiences anyone can have. Not only is there a sense of foreboding and uncertainty about the future, but everything from appointments and medical jargon to understanding treatment options can prove overwhelming.

Stepping into this space to help is Amethyst Healthcare Group, a cancer treatment specialist centered first and foremost around patients. But to succeed in this undertaking, CEO Stéphane Carré explains, it is important to establish working relationships with organizations already working in the field.

"When you look across Europe, every country has pressures on their healthcare budgets," he says. "As a private operator, we have an investment capacity, which most of the time public facilities and public authorities do not have.

"So it’s a win–win partnership, and where we invest, we operate the centers on behalf of public healthcare. We have positioned ourselves as a preferred partner for private and public health facilities."

Strong partnerships

Such partnerships have meant that the relatively new company – established only 15 years ago – has expanded from its beginnings in Romania to a total of six European countries. Now also serving the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria and Poland, the healthcare group’s 600-plus employees provide treatment for around 50,000 patients per year.

As Carré explains, the relationship with the patient occurs right from diagnosis, with the company taking on an integrated provider role, offering both diagnosis and therapeutics.

"We aim to establish contact with the patient as soon as possible after diagnosis," he explains. "If possible, we do the diagnostics ourselves."

Treatment options and recommendations are then discussed by a tumor board, with radiotherapy the predominant form of treatment. This is for several reasons, Carré reveals.

"First of all, the risk is very limited, especially if you compare radiotherapy to surgery, for example," he says. "The cost is also very efficient. Immunotherapy, which is increasing a lot, is still expensive and that restricts access for many patients."

Among other benefits are the relatively limited secondary effects, he notes.

"You might have some impact on the skin, minor side effects like that, but it is so precise and so well adapted, not only to the patient but to the shape of the tumor and to the kind of cancer," he explains.

"So whatever angle you consider, radiotherapy stands as the best option today for cancer treatment."

In most cases, Carré adds, radiotherapy is prescribed as part of a treatment schedule with other types of therapy, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

"Many therapies today help improve the efficacy of radiotherapy. It really stands as the cornerstone of cancer treatment," he notes. "There is a general trend in healthcare, which we call the ‘Four Ps’ trend. Healthcare becomes more and more predictive through genetic testing, preventive due to the increased capacity of diagnostics, personalized and participative.

"Radiotherapy acts to improve the personalization of the treatment."

Providing peace of mind

The best medical treatment is only part of the puzzle, however. It’s also essential that the psychological effects on patients – as well as their families and carers – are considered when planning treatment.

"Statistics and studies show that if the patient is in an environment that will provide peace of mind, the better the outcome," he says.

"So we really want to accompany the patient not only during the treatment, during this pathway, but to provide them the maximum information about the treatment and to be sure that there is no delay or excessive waiting time at the beginning."

Once again, good relationships with partners form the basis of this provision of care. Working with already-established public health systems means that Amethyst Healthcare Group is often meeting its target of starting treatment within two weeks of diagnosis, which is free of charge to patients.

The company is also developing an app, which will allow patients to have a personalized overview of their treatment progress as well as any data relating to their cancer pathology and test results.

"We are just starting the project, but it’ll really set us on the right path," Carré stresses.

Looking ahead

As for the future, Carré has a clear vision to drive Amethyst Healthcare Group forward.

"We have a twofold approach to developing our activity across Europe," he says.

"First of all, from a pure development strategy point of view, we are focusing on organic growth. In other words, we increase our capacity in our current centers to increase the number of patients we can receive and treat and to increase not only the number but also how fast the patient can start the treatment after the diagnosis has been given.

"So either we increase capacity in existing centers or open new centers to increase organic volumes. This is one priority.

"The other priority it’s more about inorganic development, which involves the acquisition of private centers. This would allow us to enter other countries. But nothing serious can be done without partnering with public healthcare systems."

To that end, Carré reveals that Amethyst Healthcare Group will soon be expanding to a seventh European country, the details of which will be announced shortly. However, the company’s continued success ultimately relies on remaining true to their belief in putting the patient and their community first.

"Of course, the patient is under a serious amount of stress during treatment," he concludes. "But if you are taking care of this community as well, it helps the patient, too."