A National Survey of Medical Physicists: Part 1-Practice Patterns for High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Oncology

Background:

• High dose rate Brachytherapy (HDR BT) is a vital but resource-intensive cancer treatment.
• Effective HDR BT requires a skilled workforce, team coordination, and robust logistics.
• Understanding current practice patterns is crucial for optimizing HDR BT delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze national medical physics practice patterns in High dose rate Brachytherapy (HDR BT).
• To examine workload dynamics and resource allocation in HDR BT treatments.
• To identify challenges and inform future resource optimization strategies.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive national survey of HDR BT sites in the United States was conducted in 2023.
• 365 medical physicists completed the survey, detailing their involvement in HDR BT procedures.
• Data analyzed practice patterns, workforce experience, and adoption of advanced planning tools.

Main Results:

• The HDR BT workforce is experienced, with 71% having over 10 years in service.
• Gynecological procedures are most common (96%), followed by skin, prostate, and breast.
• Adoption of advanced tools like MRI-based planning is variable, with only slight increases observed.

Conclusions:

• Medical physicists play a critical role across all technical aspects of HDR BT.
• Significant challenges exist in resource allocation, procedure complexity, and logistics.
• Developing better resource allocation metrics is essential for optimizing staffing and caseload management.