ASTRO sets new safety standards for radiation oncology
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has released a comprehensive book detailing the minimum recommended guidelines for radiation oncology practices as part of the society’s Target Safely initiative.
The 52-page document, titled “Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care,” was the work of 31 specialists from all major societies in the radiation oncology field, led by Anthony L. Zietman, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; Jatinder R. Palta, PhD, of the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville; and Michael L. Steinberg, MD, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles.
“Safety is No Accident” sets standards for radiation therapy treatment teams on the structure, personnel and technical processes needed to ensure a safe environment, according to ASTRO.
“This book is unapologetic in its strong stance because, as the title states, safety is no accident,” wrote the authors in the introduction. “It comes from well-run facilities with good processes operating harmoniously within their capabilities. We recognize that some with smaller facilities may find the standards set here hard to achieve but we do not believe that they are impossible.”
You can read the full book here.
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.