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Risk analysis for radiotherapy at the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen
Daniel Lohmann1, Marga Lang-Welzenbach1, Lorenz Feldberger2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsstraße 27, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Zeitschrift Fur Medizinische Physik
|January 11, 2022
Summary
Implementing risk analysis in radiation oncology, following German regulations, improves departmental workflow. This systematic approach identifies and mitigates risks, enhancing patient safety and operational efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Health Services Research
- Clinical Oncology
Background:
- German laws and regulations mandate risk analysis across hospital departments.
- Effective risk management is crucial for large healthcare institutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of relevant German risk analysis regulations.
- To present the experience of implementing risk analysis in a Radiation Oncology department.
- To detail the technical and organizational aspects of this implementation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an in-house developed intranet platform extension and ticketing system for risk analysis.
- Classified risks based on occurrence and severity using a 5-level scale, creating a risk matrix.
- An interdisciplinary team of six experts met weekly to conduct the analysis.
Main Results:
- Identified 38 risks and 50 mitigation measures over 41 hours of meetings (approx. 260 working hours).
- Risks were categorized as critical (n=8), monitoring (n=20), and conditionally acceptable (n=13).
- Risk levels were evaluated before and after implementing corrective measures.
Conclusions:
- The implemented risk analysis method has been successfully integrated into routine operations for over a year.
- While time-consuming, risk analysis fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, leading to efficient and continuous workflow improvements in radiation oncology.
- This systematic approach enhances overall departmental function and patient care.