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Quality Assurance for Advancing Technologies
It is hard to keep pace with the seemingly exponential advances
that radiation and medical oncology are experiencing in the new
millennium. Imaging technology, as well, is ever changing and
has dramatic impacts on diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to
treating cancer. These advances mandate more quality assurance
than ever, with training and proper implementation of these
technologies paramount to successful treatment regimes.
Wenatchee Valley Medical Center (WVMC) is an example of how
quality assurance through IMPAC software not only ensures proper
treatment delivery, but actually makes these treatments
possible. WVC uses the QA mode of IMPAC’s software to verify
complex treatments, and will rely more heavily on the modality
when they begin treating IMRT patients later this year.
Error Reduction
“Overall we have found that IMPAC has greatly reduced the
incidence of treatment errors such as incorrect MU, wedge angle
or orientation,” stated Trevor Fitzgerald, chief physicist at
WVMC. “Now that we are using DICOM RT to transmit treatment plan
information electronically from Pinnacle3 into IMPAC these
errors are virtually eliminated.” Fitzgerald continued, “The
electronic transfer has been particularly useful for clinically
implementing the Enhanced Dynamic Wedge on our 2100CD Linac, to
ensure correct collimator angle and wedge orientation. As an
additional part of our QA process, we review electronically
transferred data carefully to ensure data is accurately
transferred with the current interface.”
Confidence and Synchronization
“Initially our staff was apprehensive and a little overwhelmed
with learning the IMPAC system but now I don't think any of them
could imagine treating without it. From a physicist's
perspective it gives me the confidence that new more complex
treatment set-ups and techniques can be implemented accurately
and safely,” continued Fitzgerald. Additionally, the radiation
therapists and medical oncology nurses cannot imagine
co-coordinating patient schedules without IMPAC scheduling
software. At WVMC both departments work in close proximity to
each other so it is important that they integrate instead of
separate their scheduling of patients receiving multi-modality
therapy. Since each department is working “off the same screen,”
there is less confusion and wasted time, which creates a far
better experience for both patient and staff. WVMC is looking
forward to implementing ViewStation this year and adding images
to the electronic chart which will further streamline the
workflow in the radiation therapy department. |
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Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, Wenatchee, WA
Trevor Fitzgerald, chief physicist, WVMC |
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