Improving the quality of care for patients receiving radiation therapy: Increasing the proportion of radiation treatment plans undergoing peer review in Ontario.

Abstract

136 Background: Peer review of radiation treatment (RT) plans is recognized as an essential component of quality assurance programs in radiation medicine (Marks et al., 2013). The benefits of peer review include: (1) identifying errors that may compromise treatment outcomes, (2) enhancing safety by promoting standardization, and (3) promoting greater attention to detail in RT staff. Current state analysis conducted in 2011 identified considerable variation in the proportion of cases undergoing peer review across Ontario’s 14 cancer centres (Brundage et al., 2013). In 2012, Cancer Care Ontario launched an initiative to ensure all patients receiving radical/adjuvant radiotherapy have the benefit of peer review of their RT plans. Methods: A multi-professional project team was established to conduct site visits to promote peer review at the cancer centres. They also provided guidance on the organization of peer review rounds so that the activity could be incorporated into local workflows. The education, training, methods, and a centralized reporting infrastructure were developed in collaboration with centres over a one year ramp-up phase and patient-level data was available to the centres for audit purposes. The reporting infrastructure enabled reporting of (1) the proportion of cases peer reviewed and (2) the timing of peer review – prior to treatment, <25% dose delivered, >25% dose delivered. Results: Data for each centre is now a key quality metric and is publicly reported (see Cancer System Quality Index at http://www.csqi.on.ca/). The target for year-one of the project (2013-14) – the proportion of cases to be peer reviewed – was set at 50% with the intent that 100% of cases will be peer reviewed within the next two years. In the ramp-up year, the proportion of cases peer reviewed increased across all centres, though high variation still exists between centres. Conclusions: This initiative demonstrates that it is possible to substantially increase peer review activities on a jurisdictional basis. Key success factors include: a dedicated project team, buy-in and confidence in data quality from centres, investment in education and training, and commitment to public reporting.