JAPANESE STRUCTURE SURVEY OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY IN 2007(SECOND REPORT)

Abstract

A national structure survey of radiation oncology in 2007 using questionnaires was conducted from March 2008 to January 2009 by JASTRO. The response rate was 721 out of 765 (94.2%). Annual patient load/FTE (full time equivalent) for radiation oncologists was 248.2. The corresponding data according to the institutional stratification, including more than or equal to 1 FTE radiation oncologist (A) or less than 1 (B), were 212.9 and 157.0 (calculated as FTE=1 to avoid overestimation in B institutions), respectively. More than 300 patients/FTE radiation oncologists (warning level for decline in the quality of care) were treated in one-fourth of the A institutions. The data/radiotherapy technologists were 125.5. In designated cancer care hospitals, larger numbers of cancer patients were treated with more functionally sophisticated linac and CT simulator than in other hospitals. Geographically, there was a significant variation in patient load/FTE radiation oncologists from 130.7 to 391.6. As for radiotherapy technologists, a variation from 87.3 to 258.6 was also observed. The number of cancer patients/ linac exceeded 400/year (warning level) in the institutions with heavy load/FTE radiation oncologists more than or equal to 300/year (A) and in those where the number of new patients was more than or equal to 800/year.