Improving radiation oncology through clinical audits: Introducing the IROCA project

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Quality Assurance

Background:

• Radiotherapy practices are becoming increasingly complex, necessitating robust quality control measures.
• There is a lack of international consensus on optimal quality control indicators for radiotherapy.
• Clinical audits in radiotherapy are infrequent, highlighting a gap in quality assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the aims and current status of the international IROCA (Improving Radiation Oncology Through Clinical Audits) project.
• To select key quality indicators for radiotherapy.
• To design and implement an international clinical audit for radiation oncology.

Main Methods:

• The IROCA project involves selecting key quality indicators.
• It focuses on designing and implementing an international audit for radiotherapy.
• Harmonization of radiotherapy processes among participating institutions is a core component.

Main Results:

• The project aims to improve processes directly impacting patient clinical outcomes.
• It seeks to establish an international audit model for radiotherapy.
• Experience from this initiative may lead to an internationally accepted audit model.

Conclusions:

• The IROCA project is a significant initiative to enhance quality control in radiotherapy.
• Establishing an international audit model can lead to improved patient outcomes.
• Harmonization and standardized audits are essential for advancing radiation oncology globally.