RADIOTHERAPY RISK PROFILE - World Health Organization

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2 “Radiotherapy is widely known to be one of the safest areas of modern medicine, yet, for some, this essential treatment can bring harm, personal tragedy and even death”
Foreword by Sir Liam Donaldson Radiotherapy saves lives, prolongs lives and improves the quality of life. For these reasons, millions of patients around the world, their families and the healthcare professionals who serve them have reason to be truly thankful. It is widely known to be one of the safest areas of modern medicine, yet, for some, this essential treatment can bring harm, personal tragedy and even death. There is a long history of documenting incidents and examining adverse events in radiotherapy. From the study of these incidents and the factors underlying them it has been possible to map the risks. When these serious incidents of harm were examined, slowly but surely a pattern became evident. Each of the incidents was associated with one or more particular steps in the process of care. From this, it was possible to identify a core process of care that was common to most radiotherapy treatment. On to that, the common and rarer risks could be mapped as a first step to reducing or eliminating them. This is the world’s first risk profile developed by the World Health Organisation World Alliance for Patient Safety. In this risk profile, an assessment of the extent of harm caused by radiotherapy internationally has been made. Many countries have suffered the same types of incidents in different places and at different times. In response, an international expert group was convened representing all those who participate in daily radiotherapy delivery. Other agencies, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, that has a long and successful history of ensuring the safest practice in radiotherapy were also co-opted to the task. We are indebted to all of them for their work on this risk profile. Radiotherapy Risk Profile We hope that it will assist regulatory agencies, hospitals and individual departments to recognise and understand with clarity the risks inherent in radiotherapy. We hope that this healthcare risk profile will stimulate interest in the concept worldwide. Sir Liam Donaldson Chair, World Alliance for Patient Safety 3
Page 1 and 2: RADIOTHERAPY RISK PROFILE Technical
Page 3: CONTENTS Foreword 3 This document i
Page 7 and 8: INTRODUCTION Radiotherapy treatment
Page 9 and 10: Figure 2: Data transfer elements of
Page 11 and 12: Figure 3: A conceptual framework to
Page 13 and 14: SUMMARY OF LITERATURE Radiotherapy
Page 15 and 16: Outcome/impact Number Safety measur
Page 23 and 24: Radiotherapy incidents in developin
Page 25 and 26: Radiotherapy Risk Profile 23
Page 27: Staff factors Suggested preventive
Page 30 and 31: 28 Assessment of patient STAGES OF
Page 32 and 33: 30 2 WHO PATIENT SAFETY RADIOTHERAP
Page 34 and 35: 32 RISKS INHERENT IN THE RADIOTHERA
Page 36 and 37: 34 3. Prescribing treatment protoco
Page 38 and 39: 36 5. Simulation, imaging and volum
Page 40 and 41: 38 7. Treatment information transfe
Page 42 and 43: 40 9. Treatment delivery Risks Pote
Page 44 and 45: 42 RISK REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS Sev
Page 46 and 47: 44 ANNEX I: LITERATURE SEARCH STRAT
Page 48 and 49: 46 REFERENCES References 1. Delaney
Page 50 and 51: 48 52. The Royal College of Radiolo
Page 52 and 53: 50 Communications & country engagem

RADIOTHERAPY RISK PROFILE - World Health Organization

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?