S2815
RTT - RTT education, training, and advanced practice
ESTRO 2026
Conclusion: Projected economic and workflow modelling indicates that establishing APRT roles across H&N, lung, geriatric-oncology, and palliative radiotherapy pathways can deliver net-positive operational and financial benefit. These projections provide a compelling justification for APRT role creation and support the strategic expansion of advanced practice pathways in radiation oncology. Keywords: Workforce planning, Institutional Planning Model Digital Poster 822 An Interactive IGRT Quiz as an Accessible Form of continuous training for Radiation Therapists Suzanne B.M. Jonkers, Annelies J. Zoetelief, Lean L. Liebrecht-Krikke, Hans C.J. de Boer Radiotherapy, UMCU, Utrecht, Netherlands Purpose/Objective: Organizing in-person training sessions for radiation therapists (RTTs) has become more difficult due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages, and the continuous operation of clinical services. Continuous training is essential for keeping the knowledge of RTTs up-to-date [1]. This project intends to develop an accessible and interactive form of supplementary education focused on the principles and application of Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) for RTTs [2]. The aim is to achieve a comparable participation rate to in-person training without disrupting clinical continuity. Material/Methods: Since 2022, once or twice annually an online IGRT quiz has been distributed to RTTs, featuring a new topic each day for five consecutive workdays (n=125). Daily participation was limited to those present (n ≈ 69). Absent RTTs could review the quiz later; however, their responses were not recorded. The quiz includes true/false statements, multiple-choice, and open- ended questions focused on IGRT knowledge and clinical decision-making. Topics were based on guidelines and recently implemented innovations.RTTs were requested to complete the quiz during the morning team briefing at each workstation, including home workstations (n ≈ 23; Table 1), providing an opportunity for discussion and feedback. In the afternoon, the correct answers and corresponding explanations were distributed via email.
Lili Goh, Carinne JP Ho, Guan Da Ho, Samantha CY Koh, Wendy SH Hoy, Chek Wee Tan, Wee Yao Koh, Timothy ST Cheo, Cheng Nang Leong, Maybritte Lim, Patricia ZH Gan, Francis CH Ho Department of Radiation Oncology, National University Cancer Institute Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Purpose/Objective: The development of Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist (APRT) roles offers potential to enhance clinical efficiency, expand care capacity, and improve patient experience. However, many centres face challenges in securing approval for APRT positions due to limited economic evidence. The National University Cancer Institute Singapore (NCIS) undertook a structured planning exercise to project return on investment (ROI) for proposed APRT roles across four practice domains - Head & Neck (H&N) oncology, Palliative Radiotherapy, Lung, Geriatric-Oncology, and to justify role creation and advocate for sustainable
workforce expansion. Material/Methods:
A proactive economic modelling framework was applied including an analysis of baseline workflows and clinician time utilisation, identification of APRT scope within each pathway, time-savings projections based on published APRT data. An estimation of patient throughput gains, reduction in delays and cost modelling was also conducted. The modelling framework also evaluated salary, training and administrative investment vs indirect and direct savings.Key indicators modelled projected reduction in medical specialist task load, expected acceleration of treatment initiation, potential increase in service capacity, estimated financial efficiency and breakeven period in low, medium, and high-adoption APRT scenarios. Results: Model projections demonstrated a 0.94 reduction in radiation oncology specialist Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) workload across the four streams – 0.39 FTE for HNN, 0.26 FTE for Palliative, 0.19 FTE for Lung and 0.1 FTE for Geriatric-Oncology. A shortened time-to-treatment was observed in palliative and H&N pathways and improved lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) readiness.The projections also demonstrated gains in elderly patient navigation and treatment tolerance support in the geriatric-oncology stream. The estimated cost savings demonstrated ranged from $96-$127k per APRT per year through efficiency gains and workflow optimisation. Non-monetised institutional advantages included improved continuity of care, enhanced multidisciplinary team (MDT) resilience, and capacity buffering amid workforce shortages.
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online