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Program Information

Total Quality in Radiation Therapy


S Hancock
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U Hancock



S Hancock1*, U Hancock2*, (1) Southeast Missouri Hospital, Cape Girardeau, MO, (2) Dale and Hancock Center, Cape Girardeau, MO

Presentations

SU-B-BRD-0 (Sunday, March 6, 2016) 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Room: Grand Ballroom D


The evolving role of the medical physicist in radiation therapy goes beyond application of physics and technology. The core responsibility of the physicist in radiation therapy is the assurance of quality. Beyond quality control testing of equipment, assurance of quality requires that people follow effective processes. But studies suggest that many physicists have a low aptitude for the social skills needed to effectively guide and influence neurotypical non-physics staff members. A physicist’s development of the needed skills often requires cognitive application of behavioral models that may be simply intuitive to neurotypicals. This presentation takes a broad view of the meaning of quality in radiation therapy, with a focus on the physicist’s role in the pursuit of quality. The emphasis is on applicable models from fields that are typically not covered in a medical physicist’s education and training. The strategic approaches to the pursuit of quality in radiation therapy draw from the fields of psychology, philosophy, industrial engineering, management, mathematical biology, and neuroscience.

This presentation covers the following strategies:
1. Tools, not rules – The added cost of the tools of today is justified by increased efficiency.
2. Delegate – Delegation of recurring tasks increases the value of both the physicist and the delegate employee. The Situational Leadership model is presented as a guide for effective delegation.
3. Process design and improvement – QC of equipment performance is not enough if people are not following effective processes.
4. Create a culture of Total Quality Management – Provide leadership and get started with Root Cause Analysis.
5. Incident Learning System – Identify and prioritize opportunities for improvement.
6. Experience Design – The patient’s perceptual experience should be included in measures of quality.
7. The Opportunity, Influence, Impact cycle – You need opportunities for awareness and influence.
8. Customer-supplier feedback – Equipment suppliers should be included in your quality improvement system.
9. Organizational strategies – A matrix management model can be an effective and efficient organizational scheme for medical physicists and dosimetrists.
10. Systems Theory model of organizational psychology – Influence staff without direct authority.
11. Medical physicist archetypes from 20th century American mythology – Be the town marshal, not the Lone Ranger.

Learning Objectives:
1. Define the broad meaning of quality in the context of Total Quality Management, and its application in radiation therapy.
2. Describe the physicist’s role in the assurance of quality in radiation therapy.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of 11 strategies for achieving quality.



Handouts


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