Development of a Collaboration Model between Two Cancer Centres to Maintain Patient Access to Radiation Therapy during the Replacement of a Sole CT Simulator at a Regional Cancer Centre.

Introduction: Replacement of a sole computed tomography (CT) simulator at a Regional Cancer Centre risks interruption of patient access to radiation therapy clinical services. This study reports a collaboration model between two cancer centres to maintain patient access to radiation therapy during the replacement period.

Methods: Representatives from each cancer centre collaborated to plan and facilitate offsite CT simulation.

Leveraging Mobile Technology to Improve Efficiency of the Consent-to-Treatment Process.

Purpose: This study reports on the implementation of an electronic consent-to-treatment system (e-Consent) in a busy radiation medicine program and compares it with the previous paper-based method of documenting patient consent.

Methods: A password-protected, electronic, e-Consent application was designed in-house and installed on iPad devices to document patient consent for radiation therapy treatments. A feasibility study, followed by a program-wide deployment of e-Consent, was executed.

Optimizing computed tomography simulation wait times in a busy radiation medicine program.

Purpose: An audit was conducted of patient schedules for computed tomography simulation (CT-Sim) scans within the Radiation Medicine Program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to investigate opportunities for improved efficiencies, enhancing process, reducing rescanning rates, and decreasing wait times.

Methods And Materials: A 3-phased approach was undertaken to evaluate the current practice in the CT-Sim facility with a view toward implementing improvements. The first phase involved a review and assessment of the validity of current guidelines and protocols associated with 16 different disease sites.