July 19, 2010 – CIVCO’s new RFSuite is designed with the capability to support the requirements set out by the Radiation Therapy Readiness Check Initiative, which was recently presented to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by the Medical Imaging Technology Association (MITA).
Designed to implement additional patient protection features, the plan encourages clinicians to confirm the correct patient is being treated, the correct treatment plan is delivered as intended and the radiation therapy accessories and patient are positioned correctly prior to treatment. CIVCO’s RFSuite system will work in conjunction with this plan by confirming patient identity and verifying therapy accessories, thereby providing technologists, physicists and physicians with additional checkpoints to enable accurate and safe radiation therapy procedures.
RFSuite and other CIVCO solutions are providing the clinical community with the tools needed to address the new regulations and requirements designed to enhance safety and ensure the effective delivery of radiation therapy. RFSuite’s “hands free” design will also enhance the efficiency of the treatment verification process.
Radiation therapy is a crucial element in the effective treatment of cancer and is responsible for curing millions of patients worldwide. Over the past year, a number of radiation therapy mistreatments have occurred both in the United States and abroad, motivating government agencies to provide new safety recommendations. The Joint Commission (JCAHO) and the Code of Federal Regulations (42 CFR 482 Sec. 482.21) require the hospital to develop, implement and maintain an effective, ongoing, hospital-wide, data-driven quality assessment and performance improvement program. RFSuite is a unique and innovative way to ensure the safe and effective delivery of radiation therapy to millions of patients each year.