title: Practice patterns of radiation therapy technology in Australia: results of a national audit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article presents the results of a single-day census of radiation therapy (RT) treatment and technology use in Australia. The primary aim of the study was to ascertain patterns of RT practice and technology in use across Australia. These data were primarily collated to inform curriculum development of academic programs, thereby ensuring that training is matched to workforce patterns of practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a census method with all 59 RT centres in Australia being invited to provide quantitative summary data relating to patient case mix and technology use on a randomly selected but common date. Anonymous and demographic-free data were analysed using descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall data were provided across all six Australian States by 29 centres of a possible 59, yielding a response rate of 49% and representing a total of 2743 patients. Findings from this study indicate the increasing use of emerging intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image fusion and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) technology in Australian RT planning and delivery phases. IMRT in particular was used for 37% of patients, indicating a high uptake of the technology in Australia when compared to other published data. The results also highlight the resource-intensive nature of benign tumour radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the absence of routine national data collection, the single-day census method offers a relatively convenient means of measuring and tracking RT resource utilisation. Wider use of this tool has the potential to not only track trends in technology implementation but also inform evidence-based guidelines for referral and resource planning.
authors: School of Health Sciences Queensland University of Technology Brisbane Queensland Australia.
authors: Pete
authors: P
authors: Bridge
authors: The University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia.
authors: Shane
authors: 0000-0002-7833-8066
authors: S
authors: Dempsey
authors: University of South Australia Adelaide South Australia Australia.
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Giles
authors: Curtin University Perth Western Australia Australia.
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: Maresse
authors: RMIT University Melbourne Victoria Australia.
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: McCorkell
authors: Northern Sydney Cancer Centre Royal North Shore Hospital St Leonards New South Wales Australia.
authors: Craig
authors: C
authors: Opie
authors: Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia.
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Wright
authors: School of Health Sciences Queensland University of Technology Brisbane Queensland Australia.
authors: Mary-Ann
authors: MA
authors: Carmichael
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D055618:Radiation Equipment and Supplies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Education; image‐guided; intensity‐modulated; radiotherapy; technology