National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine
State Institution "The National Research Center for Radiation Medicine"


ISSN 2313-4607 (Online)
ISSN 2304-8336 (Print)

Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology

  
 

   

Pylypenko M. I., Stadnyk L. L., Rygan M. M., Skalec’kyj Ju. M., Shal’opa O. Ju.

Medical and social consequences of the safety problems of oncological radiology

Objective. Actuality of the problem of patient safety in oncoradiology in Ukraineis grounded.
Objective: assessment of the safety of patients who performed radiation therapy, and extent of medical and social consequences of erroneous actions of personnel in this area.
Material and methods. The results of international audit TLD (IAEA / WHO) quality during dosimetry procedures cobalt-telehamma vehicles in Ukraine are investigated, as well as legal and regulatory framework providing for the safety of radiotherapy care, scientific publications on patient safety. Methods: statistical, analytical, bibliographical, systematic approach.
Results and discussion. On the example of radiation therapy using the results of the international program of the IAEA / WHO TLD audit quality dosimetry calibration devices for remote gamma-therapy in Ukraine from 1998 to 2014 the attempt to assess the extent of medical and social consequences of underestimating of medical errors in oncoradiology is made. The problems of regulatory nature of medical errors in oncoradiology are preliminary identified.
Conclusions. The problem of medical errors in the treatment of cancer radiation methods in Ukraine is extremely important. Usually the problems of errors in onkoradiology are considered in organizational, technical, personnel and technical aspects, while medical and social consequences of problemare not covered. About 10 thousand of cancer patients in yearmay sufferfrom errors related only to dosecalculationaccording to the optimistic variant, while the number of patients for the same period on the pessimistic case can reach 15 thousand. There are a number of legal character problems in onkoradiology related to patient safety that require clarification. The first priority for improving the safety of patients in onkoradiology is the recording and analysis of radiation therapy defects and their consequences.

Key words: patient safety, medical care defects, medical faults, cobalt telegamma-devices, TLD audit, and radiological accident.

Problems of radiation medicine and radiobiology. 2015;20:204-214.



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