MARRTA: Risk matrix in advanced radiotherapy

•Risk matrix method is a useful tool for proactive risk analysis in radiotherapy.•Risk matrix methodology considers the effectiveness and nature of the defences.•Methodology and the associated software allow adaptation to particular situations.•Model and software point to possible strategies to redu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Physica medica Vol. 127; p. 104846
Main Authors:	Rot San Juan, María José, Delgado Rodríguez, José Miguel, Prieto Martín, Carlos, Pérez-Mulas, Arturo, Sánchez Cayuela, Cristina, Vilanova Ciscar, Jessica, Ramírez Vera, María Luisa, Ferreras Hernández, Elena, Ferrer Albiach, Carlos, Pardo Masferrer, José, Ruíz Maqueda, Sheila, Vázquez Camello, Vanesa, Suárez Hernández, María Jesús
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Italy Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2024
Subjects:	Patient safety Radiotherapy Risk analysis Risk matrix methodology Patient safety Risk analysis Radiotherapy Risk matrix methodology
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Summary:	•Risk matrix method is a useful tool for proactive risk analysis in radiotherapy.•Risk matrix methodology considers the effectiveness and nature of the defences.•Methodology and the associated software allow adaptation to particular situations.•Model and software point to possible strategies to reduce the calculated risk.•MARRTA software facilitates risk analysis for users with little knowledge of method. Proactive risk analyses identify potential risks before they occur, enabling us to pinpoint the most vulnerable aspects of our treatment process, thus promoting safer treatments. The proactive risk matrix methodology assesses the risk from potential errors and failures (initiating events) by evaluating and integrating their frequency, the severity of their potential consequences and the probability of failure of the barriers designed to prevent these consequences. Based on this methodology, the MARRTA project derived a theoretical risk model of advanced radiotherapy treatments and developed software to implement the model and facilitate the risk analysis. A multidisciplinary team built the risk model by identifying initiating events in a generic advanced radiotherapy process, along with their preventive and mitigating barriers, categorized by nature and effectiveness. Each initiating event was assigned a frequency, a consequence, and the corresponding failure probability of the barriers in place. By integrating these three parameters, a calculated risk was associated to each given initiating event. This initial risk model was then incorporated into the developed software and distributed to 18 Spanish hospitals for testing. Feedback from these hospitals was used to refine and update the model and software. The final risk model (reference risk model) identifies 110 potential initiating events, 60 barriers, 54 frequency reducers and 13 consequence reducers. The MARRTA model and software provide a novel means to easily apply the risk matrix methodology for comprehensive and straightforward risk analysis, as it allows the reference model to be customized to the specific features of each radiotherapy department.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1120-1797 1724-191X 1724-191X
DOI:	10.1016/j.ejmp.2024.104846