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Managing workflow in treatment planning using standard spreadsheet software

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2008

J. Vaarkamp ,
C.S. Hamilton ,
M. Escreet  and
C. Percy
J. Vaarkamp*
Affiliation:
Radiation Physics Department, Princess Royal Hospital, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, UK
C.S. Hamilton
Affiliation:
Radiotherapy Department, Princess Royal Hospital, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, UK
M. Escreet
Affiliation:
Radiation Physics Department, Princess Royal Hospital, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, UK
C. Percy
Affiliation:
Radiation Physics Department, Princess Royal Hospital, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, UK
*
Correspondence to: J. Vaarkamp, Radiation Physics Department, Princess Royal Hospital, Saltshouse Road, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU8 9HE, UK. E-mail: jvaarkamp@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Aims: Recent years have seen an expansion of UK radiotherapy treatment capacity with a drive to reduce radiotherapy waiting times. Consequently, the time available for planning patients is decreasing. In this context, management of treatment planning workflow in the Princess Royal Hospital is described and monthly planning times are presented from September 2003 onwards.

Materials and Methods: After patients are imaged, patient name, unit number and appointments are available to the planning spreadsheet via a link to the radiotherapy information system. The planning spreadsheet is in descending order of appointment date. Treatment planning staff select the first available task, taking account of individual competencies. At plan completion, the patient record is moved to the completed list.

Results: Since September 2003, patient numbers through treatment planning steadily increased from around 90 a month to about 130 currently. Planning times decreased from 11 to 7 workdays.

Conclusions: Workflow through treatment planning is indirectly managed and the approach allows for day-to-day staffing fluctuations and competency levels. There is instant information on planning status for all patients throughout the department, building up a record as part of the work process. Bottlenecks and staff training needs can be analysed by reviewing the historic patient workload.

Keywords

Treatment planning workflowpatient schedulingpatient wait times
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 7 , Issue 4 , December 2008 , pp. 213 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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