title: Time and motion study of radiotherapy delivery: Economic burden of increased quality assurance and IMRT.
abstract: Time measurements were performed on daily treatment delivery with the aim to quantify the impact of quality assurance (QA) using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) on RT delivery time and to validate the time burden of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) as an example of advanced technology. Both increased QA and the delivery of IMRT were found to be significant parameters determining daily treatment time (TT), which in turn translates in increased treatment costs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. evelyn.vandewerf@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van de Werf
authors.forename: Yolande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lievens
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verstraete
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van den Bogaert
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011786:Quality Control; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013996:Time and Motion Studies