Improving the quality of care for patients receiving radiation therapy: Increasing the proportion of radiation treatment plans undergoing peer review in Ontario.

136 Background: Peer review of radiation treatment (RT) plans is recognized as an essential component of quality assurance programs in radiation medicine (Marks et al., 2013). The benefits of peer review include: (1) identifying errors that may compromise treatment outcomes, (2) enhancing safety by promoting standardization, and (3) promoting greater attention to detail in RT staff. Current state analysis conducted in 2011 identified considerable variation in the proportion of cases undergoing peer review across Ontario’s 14 cancer centres (Brundage et al., 2013). In 2012, Cancer Care Ontario launched an initiative to ensure all patients receiving radical/adjuvant radiotherapy have the benefit of peer review of their RT plans. Methods: A multi-professional project team was established to conduct site visits to promote peer review at the cancer centres. They also provided guidance on the organization of peer review rounds so that the activity could be incorporated into local workflows. The education, train...