Learning in radiation oncology: 12-month experience with a new incident learning system

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Healthcare Safety
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Radiation therapy complexity necessitates robust safety and quality improvement tools.
• Incident learning systems (ILS) are crucial for risk mitigation and enhancing patient care.
• Evaluating the impact of new electronic ILS (e-ILS) on reporting and safety culture is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the impact of implementing the Learning In Radiation ONcology (LIRON) e-ILS.
• To assess changes in reporting culture and staff perceptions of safety.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the new e-ILS within a local health district.

Main Methods:

• Implemented the LIRON e-ILS in 2020 to track incidents, near misses, and non-compliances.
• Conducted a survey 12 months post-implementation among radiation oncology staff.
• Compared post-implementation survey results with pre-implementation data on safety culture and ILS understanding.

Main Results:

• Similar survey response rates at baseline (64%) and follow-up (63%).
• Increased ILS participation (49% to 71%), perception of no reporting barriers (34% to 43%), and encouragement to report (37% to 43%).
• Enhanced staff confidence in the department's ability to learn from the ILS (24% to 46%).

Conclusions:

• Initial findings indicate a positive impact of the LIRON e-ILS implementation.
• Further long-term review is warranted to fully understand its effects.
• The e-ILS shows potential for improving staff perceptions, safety culture, and departmental processes.