[Patient participation to patient safety in radiotherapy: a reality to be developed]

Patient safety during radiotherapy has become a central priority for public policy further to the various accidents arisen at Epinal, Toulouse and Grenoble for the most symbolic. In this context, patients' involvement in the management of their own safety can be a way to improve the quality of care in general.

This study was carried out in the radiotherapy department of the Georges-Pompidou European Hospital and aimed at analyzing the role of patients in the management of patient safety. Interviews have been conducted with patients and with professionals in order to understand if patients could have a role in the safety of their treatment and to describe the possible forms of participation.

The results describe two main forms of patient participation. On one hand, active participation, which refers to preventive and corrective actions carried out spontaneously by the patients. On the other hand, compliance, which consists in the respect of the recommended or prescribed behavior.

Patient participation is a reality which remains almost invisible for professionals and which needs to be encouraged insofar as it is a means to improve healthcare safety by a cooperative risk management. However, it must be a possibility offered to the patients and not an obligation, a source of additional stress.