Keywords:
Computer applications, Experimental, Technology assessment, Radiotherapy techniques
Authors:
A. Ralston, J. Yuen; NSW/AU
DOI:
10.1594/ranzcr2018/R-0114
Purpose
Radiation oncology departments have traditionally focused on reactive risk management tools such as incident reporting,
but are now starting to appreciate the benefits of prospective risk management to maximize the safety and quality of radiation oncology services [1].
The potential problems of not using a prospective approach include
- The premature clinical release of a new technology or technique,
allowing it to be used in potentially unsafe circumstances due to poor documentation,
poor patient selection,
a lack of staff training or insufficient infrastructure to support its safe use.
- The delayed release of a new technology or technique due to “paralysis by analysis” [2] and a reluctance of some staff members to take responsibility for any adverse consequences of its use,
thereby denying patients access to superior medical care.
To facilitate the safe and rapid implementation of new techniques and technologies at St George Cancer Care Centre (STGCCC),
in 2015 we developed a system called Risk And Benefit Balance Impact Templates (RABBITs).
A RABBIT is filled in by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) and can be used with minimal training.
It acts as a project management tool,
a summary of commissioning work,
a risk assessment and a clinical release note.
By 2017 more than 30 new technologies or techniques had been commissioned and clinically released at STGCCC using the RABBIT system.
Radiation Oncologists,
Radiation Therapists and Medical Physicists were surveyed to see if they believed the use of RABBITs had improved the implementation process.