Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Quality Improvement (QI) Project on Patient Set-Up Documentation

The work environment of Radiation Therapists (MRT(T)) has evolved drastically over the past fifteen years with the introduction of electronic medical records. The increased amount of information required to safely deliver radiation has created a “busy” treatment record filled with many key elements to correctly position the patient. Furthermore, the consistency in how information is documented has become a growing safety and efficiency imperative as MRT(T) teams involve more and more casual and part-time staff. It is therefore of high importance to re-design the way documentation is organized so any MRT(T) can quickly locate the information needed to position the patient properly. The field of human factors, or ergonomics, studies ways we can change the conditions under which we work to design safer, more comfortable, effective and efficient interactions. Problems with physical, cognitive, and organizational elements can lead to sub-optimal workflow and unsafe conditions experienced by both staff and patients. The aim of this project is to study the re-configuration of the patient set-up templates to solve the ergonomic problems identified.