Breast Units (BU) represent an opportunity to adequately manage and improve quality of care for patients with breast cancer. The presence of specific national guidelines should promote safe and good quality, integrated care. In fact, the presence of a multidisciplinary team of specialists whose workflows follow specific guidelines, set to the highest European standards, should ensure that patients in Breast Units receive appropriate care at diagnosis and throughout the course of the disease.

Two surveys were developed and administered to Breast Unit coordinators and patients throughout Italy. The surveys investigated the provision of healthcare services and the implementation of a new organizational model over two time periods: the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from March 2020 to August 2020 and the second wave from September 2020 to December 2020. The surveys aimed to assess the continuity of care during the pandemic from the clinician and patient perspective.

Patients observed a reduction in the postponement of care between the first wave of COVID-19 and the second wave. Some services were delayed, particularly in the second wave where a large number of services were not rescheduled. Management of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many healthcare professionals being reallocated to other duties and hospital departments. The effect of this was particularly relevant for both patients and clinicians, with few healthcare professionals having the capacity to focus on conditions other than COVID-19. In the first wave of the pandemic 42 percent of professionals were redeployed, compared with 27 percent in the second wave.

This study demonstrates how COVID-19 affected the care of patients with breast cancer in Italy. Patients and coordinators from Breast Units across the country highlighted many important aspects that should be considered when assessing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the entire healthcare system in order to be better prepared for future pandemics.