Radiation Oncologist Shortage Creates Opportunity for NPs.

A 50% estimated increase in new cancer cases over the next few decades will significantly challenge health care systems already strained by a shortage of oncology providers. Radiation oncology (RO), 1 of 3 three primary pillars of oncology care, treats half of all new cancer cases. Workforce shortages, reimbursement changes, delays in patient treatment, and the lack of follow-up care all continue to increase pressure on RO centers to boost efficiency, improve patient and staff retention, and strive for service satisfaction.

Improving Incident Reporting in a Hospital-Based Radiation Oncology Department: The Impact of a Customized Crew Resource Training and Event Reporting Intervention.

Background Radiation oncology (RO) is a high-risk environment with an increased potential for error due to the complex automated and manual interactions between heterogeneous teams and advanced technologies. Errors involving procedural deviations-- can adversely impact patient morbidity and mortality. Under-reporting of errors is common in healthcare for reasons such as fear of retribution, liability, embarrassment, etc.