Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Human factors evaluation of teletherapy: Literature review. Volume 5

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/93989· OSTI ID:93989
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Hughes Training, Inc., Falls Church, VA (United States)
  2. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology
A series of human factors evaluations were undertaken to better understand the contributing factors to human error in the teletherapy environment. Teletherapy is a multidisciplinary methodology for treating cancerous tissue through selective exposure to an external beam of ionizing radiation. A team of human factors specialists, assisted by a panel of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and radiation therapists, conducted site visits to radiation oncology departments at community hospitals, university centers, and free-standing clinics. A function and task analysis was performed initially to guide subsequent evaluations in the areas of workplace environment, system-user interfaces, procedures, training, and organizational practices. To further acquire an in-depth and up-to-date understanding of the practice of teletherapy in support of these evaluations, a systematic literature review was conducted. Factors that have a potential impact on the accuracy of treatment delivery were of primary concern. The present volume is the literature review. The volume starts with an overview of the multiphased nature of teletherapy, and then examines the requirement for precision, the increasing role of quality assurance, current conceptualizations of human error, and the role of system factors such as the workplace environment, user-system interfaces, procedures, training, and organizational practices.
Research Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology; Hughes Training, Inc., Falls Church, VA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
93989
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR--6277-Vol.5; ON: TI95015690
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English