title: Patient safety in external beam radiotherapy - guidelines on risk assessment and analysis of adverse error-events and near misses: introducing the ACCIRAD project.
abstract: In 2011 the European Commission launched a tender to develop guidelines for risk analysis of accidental and unintended exposures in external beam radiotherapy. This tender was awarded to a consortium of 6 institutions, including the ESTRO, in late 2011. The project, denominated "ACCIRAD", recently finished the data collection phase. Data were collected by surveys administered in 38 European countries. Results indicate non-uniform implementation of event registration and classification, as well as incomplete or zero implementation of risk assessment and events analysis. Based on the survey results and analysis thereof, project leaders are currently drafting proposed guidelines entitled "Guidelines for patient safety in external beam radiotherapy - Guidelines on risk assessment and analysis of adverse-error events and near misses". The present article describes the aims and current status of the project, including results of the surveys.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electroradiology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malicki
authors.affiliation: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bly
authors.affiliation: SECTOR, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulot
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Safety Authority - ASN, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Godet
authors.affiliation: Public Research Centre Henri Tudor, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahnen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital "Maggiore della Carità", Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krengli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Georges-François LECLERC, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maingon
authors.affiliation: Fundación Investigación Biomédica, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos Prieto
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Przybylska
authors.affiliation: Department of Electroradiology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skrobała
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Safety Authority - ASN, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.affiliation: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jarvinen
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D005060:Europe; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adverse event; Near miss; Radiotherapy safety; Risk assessment; Risk management