Building and Revitalizing Brachytherapy Programs: Strategies for Success
Description
It can be a daunting task to start a new high-dose rate (HDR) or low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy program or to join an established program and realize updates are necessary. With many brachytherapy task groups and medical physics practice guidelines published over the past 30 years, it can be difficult to know where to begin establishing or modifying a brachytherapy program. Both HDR and LDR programs require the physicist to purchase equipment, commission and acceptance test that equipment, develop standard operating procedures, develop treatment-specific procedures and checklists, ensure compliance with regulations, and train the team. This session will review the core requirements for starting a brachytherapy program with the first presentation catered to HDR programs and the second focused on LDR programs. Each presentation will include an overview of the steps to start the program and additional information that is procedure (disease-site) specific. Relevant and current resources will be shared. The importance of collaborating with vendors during the process, receiving appropriate device-specific training, and having vendor representation on-site for the first few procedures will be explored. A third presentation will focus on safety considerations that apply to both HDR and LDR programs as well as details specific to each program type. Suggestions for designing procedures that minimize the risk of errors will be included.