Automated Error Labeling in Radiation Oncology via Statistical Natural Language Processing

RadPhysics Services LLC is proud to be a co-author of Automated Error Labeling in Radiation Oncology via Statistical Natural Language Processing. Recently published by MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute), the peer-review article describes how natural language processing (NLP)-aided statistical algorithms have the potential to significantly improve the discovery and reporting of medical errors in radiation oncology. […]

Strategic Initiative with Collaborators

In chartering the future of radiation oncology services with the use of artificial intelligence, RadPhysics Services LLC is collaborating closely with Virginia Tech Arlington Innovation Center (AIC), NC State University (NCSU), and MedStar Health. Medical errors frequently occur in cancer treatments during the patient preparation and treatment delivery steps. Our work is focused on developing […]

AIC at Virginia Tech Establishes SoterRO Workgroup in Collaboration with RadPhysics

In February of 2020, Arlington Innovation Center – Health Research at Virginia Tech, in collaboration with partners at RadPhysics Services LLC (RPS), MedStar RadAmerica, and NC State University, established the formation of the SoterRO workgroup to explore ways to improve patient safety in radiation therapy services. The group name termed “SoterRO©” is inspired by Soter, […]

An Analysis of Patient Safety Incident Reports Associated with EHR Interoperability

With the widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) for many clinical tasks, interoperability with other health information technology (health IT) is critical for the effective delivery of care.1 Providers can reduce patient safety events by improving connections among their electronic health records (EHRs) and their other health information technology (IT) systems. From a database of […]

Time to Adopt BIA in Radiology

Radiologists and other professionals in medicine should adopt business intelligence and analytics (BIA) according to Paul Chang, MD, at this year’s 2011 RSMA meeting. As part of Dr. Chang’s video clip shown on radRounds1, he says “you cannot improve a process until you can measure a process”. Metrics provides a means to measure process performance. […]

Call for EHR National Safety Oversight Board

The Journal of Patient Safety1 recently published a report that calls for creation of a board that oversees the safety of electronic health record (EHR) systems. Complementing similar policy recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the report recommends the board review all reported errors classified as near misses and adverse events. The errors would be submitted to […]

ECRI: Top 10 Health Tech Hazards for 2012

ECRI Institute, an independent nonprofit that researches the best approaches to improving healthcare, published their annual “Top 10 Technology Hazards for 2012”.1 The comprehensive report examines the most pressing health technology hazards affecting patient safety.2 The number two health technology hazard named by ECRI was exposure hazards from radiation therapy and CT. ECRI states that errors occurring in […]

Serious Clinical Adverse Events

This article published by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement1 describes a roadmap of how health care organizations should prepare and respond to serious clinical adverse events. The article stresses the important role of transparency in managing events. It encourages institutions to admit to mistakes and be forthright to patients, families, and fellow workers. An important goal of creating improvement means learning […]

Survey: MDs Avoid Online Error-Reporting

Johns Hopkins investigators conducted a survey to determine why radiation oncology professionals “fail to use online error-reporting systems designed to improve patient safety and quality of care.”1 Survey questioners were mailed to various radiation oncologists as well as medical physicists, nurses, dosimetrists, and therapists located at four radiation oncology institutions. The results of the survey were published in […]

MERPtm

COMPARE & VALIDATE EXPECTATIONS

MERP helps facilitate a safety culture where greater attention is directed at confirming that detailed processes are performed correctly by referencing various standards, recommendations, and regulations.

MERP provides a methodology to measure performance against benchmark standards of practice.

DECREASE COSTS & INEFFICIENCIES

Radiation oncology is an exceedingly complicated system where accidents happen. Any single error, combination, and propagation of errors in radiation oncology can negatively impact patient outcomes.  An error reduction program helps institutions minimize risk to patients and health care workers.

MERP is a medical error reduction software program specifically designed to help minimize errors, improve performance, reduce cost, lessen liability, decrease regulatory infractions, and positively contribute to patient outcomes in the radiation oncology treatment delivery process. 

TRANSFORM  YOUR PATIENT SAFETY 

Ineffective error management can lead to reduced quality, increased inefficiency, and increased legal and/or regulatory liabilities.

MERP is a powerful tool for implementing proactive risk reduction through error analysis and action plans. MERP facilitates a comprehensive approach to improving patient safety through the reduction of preventable systems-related errors.