SU-E-T-201: Safety-Focused Customization of Treatment Plan Documentation

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Radiation therapy treatment plan reports contain extensive details, but safety-critical information may not be emphasized.
• This can hinder the detection of errors during initial chart reviews, impacting patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance patient safety in radiation therapy by customizing treatment plan reports.
• To emphasize safety-critical information within the treatment plan documentation.

Main Methods:

• Modified commands within a commercial planning system's (Eclipse, Varian Medical Systems) report template.
• Identified safety-critical parameters based on known risks in radiation therapy planning, including patient identifiers, prescription details, beam parameters, and accessories.

Main Results:

• Streamlined and concentrated critical information onto the first page (patient/plan ID, dose prescription, positioning).
• Reorganized data transfer verification into a second-page tabular format.
• Introduced placeholders for beam modifiers and adjusted formatting for clarity and standardized terminology.

Conclusions:

• Customized plan reporting effectively emphasizes safety-critical information.
• The revised documentation facilitates a more efficient and robust chart review process, enhancing patient safety.