Increasing the use of prospective risk assessment through training

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Technology Implementation
• Risk Management

Background:

• Formal prospective risk assessment is crucial for managing new technologies in radiation therapy but often hindered by time and knowledge gaps.
• Radiation oncology professionals require practical skills and accessible tools for effective risk assessment.
• Implementing new techniques necessitates robust risk management strategies to ensure patient safety and operational efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an innovative training program designed to enhance knowledge and practical skills in prospective risk assessment for radiation oncology professionals.
• To address the practical barriers, such as time constraints, that impede the adoption of prospective risk assessment in radiation therapy centers.
• To improve the integration of prospective risk assessment into the routine implementation of new techniques and technologies.

Main Methods:

• A prospective risk assessment training program was developed, emphasizing an easy-to-use tool and project management principles.
• The program was delivered to multi-disciplinary teams across 12 radiation therapy providers.
• Participants completed surveys pre-training and 12 months post-training to assess changes in risk assessment practices and attitudes.

Main Results:

• The time-efficient training program was successfully delivered to diverse groups in radiation therapy.
• Prospective risk assessment completion rates increased significantly from 8% to 30% within 12 months post-training.
• The training effectively mitigated perceived barriers, although insufficient time remained the primary challenge.

Conclusions:

• The prospective risk assessment training program proved highly beneficial and applicable for radiation oncology professionals.
• Future efforts should focus on scaling the training program's reach while sustaining its effectiveness.
• Ensuring prospective risk assessments are recognized as integral to implementing new technologies is vital for radiation therapy centers.