SEBAS

FUNDACIÓN COLOMBIANA DE LEUCEMIA Y LINFOMA (FCL)

SEBAS

SEBAS is a digital tool that connects cancer patients with the Foundation to close gaps and promote equity in access to health services.

Bogotá, Colombia

COL

Nonprofit

Hemato-oncological diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, are types of cancer that affect the blood, bone marrow, and immune system. They require urgent and ongoing medical care, but millions of people worldwide lack access to timely diagnosis and treatment. In 2020, more than 1.2 million new cases and more than 300,000 deaths from leukemia alone were reported worldwide (GLOBOCAN, 2020). In Latin America, mortality from multiple myeloma exceeds 35% among people without access to therapies (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2023). In Colombia, we have identified that although 98% of the population is insured, gaps in access are increasingly frequent. According to the National Health Superintendency, between January and November 2024, more than 1.5 million complaints were registered in the Colombian healthcare system, representing a 130% increase compared to 2019. Our statistics show that, on average, patients wait 38 days to receive medications, 30 days for authorizations, and 59 days for appointments with specialists—times that can mean the difference between life and death. We consider this problem urgent and ethically unacceptable, since behind every number, there is a person whose life is at risk due to a system that does not respond on time.

At the Colombian Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation, we created SEBAS, a digital application and mobile app that allows blood cancer patients to report in real time the challenges they face in accessing the Colombian healthcare system, such as delays in medications, authorizations, and appointments with specialists. Our team manages each case with algorithms designed by us, notifying the insurers, hospitals, and pharmacies so they can understand the difficulties and shorten wait times. We have already tested it and have seen results. In 2024, we resolved 60% of cases in less than five days, even in the face of medication shortages, collapse in authorizations, and institutional weakness. To date, we have reached more than 1,000 users from different regions of the country, and have worked in partnership with healthcare entities, insurers, and pharmaceuticals. In 2025, we want to go a step further by integrating AI that will allow us to launch a virtual navigation program that not only anticipates barriers but also educates patients and caregivers so they understand their rights, act urgently, and avoid normalizing delays. It will function as a multi-channel virtual assistant (WhatsApp, calls, app) even in areas with low connectivity.

Our solution impacts people with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and other blood cancers in Colombia, especially older adults, as the average age of diagnosis is 55, with a higher proportion of cases occurring in men (53.43%) (Cuenta de Alto Costo, 2023). Around 90% of the patients who come to the Foundation are low-income and highly socially vulnerable. In Colombia, although 98% of the population is enrolled in the healthcare system, this coverage does not guarantee effective and timely access to essential services. In 2020, more than 113,000 new cases of cancer were recorded, consolidating the country's position as one of the countries with the highest oncological burden in the region (Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, 2022). The regions most affected by access barriers are the main cities, where the system is overloaded. This includes Bogotá, Ibagué, and Valledupar, where wait times of up to 59 days to obtain an appointment with a specialist persist, exacerbating the risks of rapidly progressing diseases. In response to this crisis, we created SEBAS as a tool to capture these gaps in real time and mobilize actions that allow us to promote greater opportunities for care.