A radiotherapy department is a facility with rooms in which radiotherapy machines are housed. Activities which may occur in the department include:
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a) |
the care of patients in beds |
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b) |
the holding of out-patient clinics |
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c) |
diagnostic and therapeutic isotope procedures |
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d) |
surgical procedures |
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e) |
diagnostic investigations |
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f) |
the planning, simulation and treatment of patients by radiotherapy machines |
Occasions used: the work of simulators and planning computers should be measured by counting the number of occasion’s i.e. patient attendances on which these machines are used to simulate plan or check a course of treatment as no unit of resource has been developed for planning computers.
Operational planning intent: a prospective statement about the time each type of treatment and simulation machine is:-
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a) |
intended to be available for treatment and simulation. |
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b) |
intended to be down for maintenance. |
Actual availability: a retrospective measurement for each type of treatment and simulation machine of:
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a) |
the time each machine was actually available |
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b) |
the time spent on planned maintenance and unexpected maintenance work when the latter was carried out in the time which was intended to be used for treating patients. |
Notes:
1. A machine is only available when there is staff to run it and other resources required, such as operating theatres, can be used.
2. If 2 or more machines are adjacent or are run by the same staff so that only one can be used at a time, the availability of these machines should be combined, i.e. during an 8 hour day the availability of the 2 machines together is 8 not 16 hours.
3. Availability is measured in machine hours for each machine.
Inventory: the inventory of radiotherapy equipment should detail:
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a) |
the type of equipment available or scheduled to be available, for planning, simulation and treatment including details of the make and energy of the machines. |
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b) |
the date of installation of capital equipment identifying that which was, or is to be purchased and replaced out of a programme. |
See Exposure
See Request for Diagnostic Test