The Canarian Health Service (SCS) has introduced an innovative procedure that significantly eases the renewal of orthoprosthetic materials for women who have undergone oncological treatment for breast cancer. Previously, patients had to travel to their reference hospital for consultations solely to manage the periodic renewal of external breast prostheses or lymphedema devices. Now, this task can be completed directly at their primary care center.
This initiative, driven by the General Directorates of External Relations and Inspection and of Care Programs of the SCS, has been operational since May 2026. The procedure is integrated into OrtoREC, the electronic orthoprosthetic prescription system launched in November 2024, which is now active across all SCS hospital managements after its progressive rollout, completed in the summer of 2026 with the inclusion of the Hospital Universitario de Canarias.
The new pathway is designed to be simple and safe. When a renewal is due, the patient visits their health center. There, the Family Medicine doctor verifies the original hospital prescription, checks the date of the previous dispensing, and conducts a basic clinical assessment. If there are no issues, the professional electronically initiates the renewal prescription, which is then reviewed by the Medical Inspection of the Health Area. Once approved, the patient can collect the product from a collaborating orthopedic supplier of their choice.
This pathway can be activated provided three conditions are met: a prior hospital indication exists, the established renewal interval has passed, and no clinical changes or problems requiring specialized reassessment have occurred. Otherwise, care reverts to the hospital setting, reserving specialized consultations for those who genuinely need them.
The procedure covers various orthoprosthetic products essential for women with breast cancer. This includes complete and partial external breast prostheses, breast supports for lymphatic involvement, as well as gloves, gauntlets, and compression sleeves for upper limb lymphedema. Renewal intervals are twenty-four months for external breast prostheses (both complete and partial) and six months for breast supports and compression devices for lymphedema, always following the corresponding professional assessment and current prosthetic catalog.
From the protocol's launch until August 28, 2026, Canary Islands Primary Care centers have processed 36 renewal prescriptions through this circuit, distributed across 23 health centers. Of these, 25 were for external breast prostheses and 11 for lymphedema-related products. Although initial figures are modest, they represent the beginning of a model that the SCS expects to consolidate as Primary Care professionals integrate the new pathway into their routine practice, enhancing care coordination and accessibility.
Beyond administrative simplification, this new pathway directly improves patients' quality of life by eliminating unnecessary hospital visits. This offers significant relief, particularly for women residing in remote areas or those with mobility challenges. Integrating Primary Care into these periodic renewals also strengthens continuity of care and coordination with hospital services and Medical Inspection, aiming to provide a more accessible, standardized, and secure service for all women in the archipelago.
