(Sunday, 7/12/2020) [Eastern Time (GMT-4)]
Room: AAPM ePoster Library
Purpose: Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is a dynamic process requiring constant re-evaluation of the program, including evaluation of the reporting system and user feedback. This work reports our institutional experience implementing a program for sustainable Physics CQI in radiation oncology.
Methods: The Physics CQI program utilizes a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle involving a Radiation Oncology Physics Dashboard (Dashboard) and monthly meetings (16 participants). The Dashboard is used by the physics team members to report, store, and review catches and findings that lead to no effect, inconvenience, minor dosimetric error, patient safety, recordable event, or reportable event. The meetings are led by the CQI champion (medical physicist) who presents the catches and findings, proposals for workflow changes to standardize and improve procedures, and challenging clinical cases to increase awareness and learn from the experience of others. These presentations are archived and available to the physics team as support material. The effectiveness of the Physics CQI program was evaluated through a survey distributed to members of the physics team.
Results: Fourteen out of fifteen surveyed responded. Ninety three percent agreed that the Physics CQI meetings improve and standardize physics related processes and tasks, promotes a culture of safety, and lead to positive changes through clinical case presentations. All respondents agreed that the content and material presented in the Physics CQI meetings are appropriate with 79% affirming he/she reference previously reviewed presentation topics during independent plan checks, weekly chart checks, and when paged to the clinic. One respondent suggested extending the meetings from 1 hour to 1.5 hours.
Conclusion: We have implemented a successful Physics CQI program that provides the physics team with an in house reporting system and monthly meetings which works toward standardization/sustainability, with high participation, approval, and engagement of the physics team.
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