How to expand your clinical indications using AlignRT
RT(T) Elise Arnett, one of Vision RT’s Clinical Application Specialists, supports cancer centers all around the UK and Ireland by helping therapists advance the accuracy and efficiency of radiation therapy treatments. In this blog post, she discusses what makes AlignRT a complete solution for expanding treatment sites and how clinics can implement this technology for multiple indications.
In the modern era of radiation oncology, where efficiency and accuracy are more important than ever, implementing a single Surface Guided Radiation Therapy (SGRT) system across multiple treatment sites can have profound implications on workflow and patient safety. AlignRT’s SGRT technology offers a complete solution for all radiation treatments. It’s designed to help clinical teams avoid potentially harmful treatment errors by closely monitoring any patient movement and offering automatic beam-hold if the patient moves out of tolerance.
AlignRT is suitable for every patient, every fraction
In my experience, centers commonly start using AlignRT for breast and pelvis treatments and quickly expand into chest, thorax and DIBH as they find they have reduced instances of repeat imaging and have improved accuracy. Customers quickly replace any existing DIBH technique they’ve been using with AlignRT as they become aware of its accuracy and reliability.
Operational efficiency and improved workflow are key factors for centers considering expanding their treatment sites. AlignRT is the answer to ensuring the best possible treatment outcome for complex treatments, including SBRT, SRS, Head and Neck Cancer, and other conditions. The workflow technique is consistent across various indications allowing for smooth adoption and integration for all treatment sites.
Education is key to expanding the clinical use of AlignRT
Adopting new technology for various treatment sites can be a big undertaking that requires trained and coordinated action across the radiation oncology department. For centers interested in expanding their treatment sites using AlignRT, all professionals within the radiotherapy department must be comfortable and competent when using the equipment clinically. Vision RT’s best-in-class training curriculum and service and support offer allows users to optimize the usage of Vision RT SGRT technology, learn how to expand their system’s clinical applications, and ultimately elevate the standard of care within their clinic. This level of education across the oncology department provides a seamless user experience with minimal disruption to existing processes. We’ve seen it in more clinics than we can count – at first there might be some resistance to new technology and new processes when AlignRT is introduced. But ultimately, we find that clinics not only come to learn it and appreciate it but soon reach a state where they wouldn’t consider treating without our SGRT solution. Proper training and workforce engagement is the key to getting to that point.
Join The SGRT Community
Once you have AlignRT set up for any indication, as with any technology, you have to keep up with the latest developments. My advice to clinics is to learn from other professionals who have successfully implemented AlignRT for multiple treatment sites. The best way to learn is from your peers, who can help you understand its capabilities for your clinic and achieve the best results. The SGRT Community is a global peer-to-peer network of radiation oncology professionals working together to adopt and promote best practice of SGRT across all applicable indications to ensure quality patient care. It’s free to join and features experts from around the world, sharing their knowledge online and at digital and in-person events.
Treatment centers that wish to expand their clinical indications can ask questions and get feedback from more than 9,000 members on the community website forums as well as access the robust learning platform for clinical data.
Expanding the use of SGRT to multiple indications is becoming a growing request as treatment centers recognise the significant measurable impact on their clinic and patients.
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AlignRT is Vision RT’s market-leading motion management solution, offering high precision patient positioning and monitoring across multiple clinical indications, with more than 2,000 systems installed and in use worldwide.