In 1996 the Institut Català d'Oncologia initiates its activity at the Hospital Durán i Reynals as assistance centre of reference for the treatment of cancer in patients diagnosed in the Sanitary Region Coast de Ponent, acting as centre of reference for low-frequency or high therapeutic complexity tumours.

The assistance process makes the close contribution with the University Hospital of Bellvitge necessary, since it offers the diagnostic tests and the surgical treatment of cancer. Another important instrument to promote an integral focus of the treatment of the oncology patient is the Tumours Commission, which the different committees of specific tumours depend on, comprising specialists of the different services implied in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer of both institutions, being the operating instrument of work to devise and bring up to date the assistance protocols.

Another important element of our assistance is the connection among the regional hospitals of the Sanitary Region Coast de Ponent in Barcelona, based on the displacement of 5 oncologists of the ICO-HOSPITAL Duran i Reynals to 5 regional hospitals. The objective of this project is to take oncology nearer the patient’s residence, to facilitate the inter-hospital coordination, and agree on the oncological action. Progressively, and thanks to this project, day-hospitals have been created and consolidated in different regional hospitals, committees and tumours registers.