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Radiotherapy infrastructure and human resources in Switzerland

Present status and projected computations for 2020

Infrastruktur und Personalausstattung der Strahlentherapie in der Schweiz

Derzeitiger Stand und Vorausberechnungen bis 2020

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the present status of radiotherapy infrastructure and human resources in Switzerland and compute projections for 2020.

Materials and methods

The European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology “Quantification of Radiation Therapy Infrastructure and Staffing” guidelines (ESTRO-QUARTS) and those of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were applied to estimate the requirements for teleradiotherapy (TRT) units, radiation oncologists (RO), medical physicists (MP) and radiotherapy technologists (RTT). The databases used for computation of the present gap and additional requirements are (a) Global Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence (GLOBOCAN) for cancer incidence (b) the Directory of Radiotherapy Centres (DIRAC) of the IAEA for existing TRT units (c) human resources from the recent ESTRO “Health Economics in Radiation Oncology” (HERO) survey and (d) radiotherapy utilization (RTU) rates for each tumour site, published by the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research (IIAMR).

Results

In 2015, 30,999 of 45,903 cancer patients would have required radiotherapy. By 2020, this will have increased to 34,041 of 50,427 cancer patients. Switzerland presently has an adequate number of TRTs, but a deficit of 57 ROs, 14 MPs and 36 RTTs. By 2020, an additional 7 TRTs, 72 ROs, 22 MPs and 66 RTTs will be required. In addition, a realistic dynamic model for calculation of staff requirements due to anticipated changes in future radiotherapy practices has been proposed. This model could be tailor-made and individualized for any radiotherapy centre.

Conclusion

A 9.8 % increase in radiotherapy requirements is expected for cancer patients over the next 5 years. The present study should assist the stakeholders and health planners in designing an appropriate strategy for meeting future radiotherapy needs for Switzerland.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel

Ziel dieser Studie war es, den aktuellen Stand der Infrastruktur und Personalausstattung der Strahlentherapie in der Schweiz zu bewerten und Prognosen für das Jahr 2020 zu erstellen.

Material

Die ESTRO-QUARTS- und IAEA-Richtlinien wurden angewandt, um den Bedarf für Teletherapie-(TRT-)Einheiten, Radioonkologen (RO), Medizinphysiker (MP) und Medizinisch-technische Radiologieassistenten (RTT) abzuschätzen. Die Datenbanken, die für die Errechnung der gegenwärtigen Lücke und die zusätzlichen Anforderungen verwendet wurden, sind (a) GLOBOCAN (Global Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence) für die Krebsinzidenz, (b) das Verzeichnis der Bestrahlungszentren (DIRAC, Directory of Radiotherapy Centres) der IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) für bestehende TRT-Einheiten, (c) die neueste ESTRO-HERO-Studie (European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology – Health Economics in Radiation Oncology) für die Personalausstattung und (d) Daten vom Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research (IIAMR) über den Grad der Bestrahlungstherapieauslastung (RTU) für jede Krebsart.

Ergebnisse

Im Jahr 2015 hätten 30.999 von 45.903 Krebspatienten eine Bestrahlung benötigt. Bis 2020 wird diese Zahl auf 34.041 von 50.427 Krebspatienten steigen. Die Schweiz verfügt zwar momentan über eine ausreichende Anzahl an TRT-Einheiten, weist aber einen Mangel von 57 ROs, 14 MPs und 36 RTTs auf. Bis 2020 werden zusätzlich 7 TRT-Einheiten, 72 ROs, 22 MPs und 66 RTTs benötigt. Zusätzlich wurde ein wirklichkeitsnahes, dynamisches Modell vorgeschlagen, um den Bedarf an Personal aufgrund von künftig zu erwartenden Änderungen in den Bestrahlungstherapietechniken zu errechnen. Dieses Modell könnte auf die individuellen Bedürfnisse eines beliebigen Bestrahlungszentrums angepasst werden.

Schlussfolgerung

Der Bedarf an Bestrahlungstherapie für Krebspatienten wird in den nächsten 5 Jahren um 9,8 % steigen. Diese Studie soll Stakeholder und Gesundheitsplaner dabei unterstützen, eine entsprechende Strategie zu entwickeln, um künftigen Anforderungen in der Strahlentherapie in der Schweiz gerecht zu werden.

Fazit

Der Bedarf an Bestrahlungstherapie für Krebspatienten wird in den nächsten 5‑Jahren um 9,8 % steigen. Diese Studie soll Stakeholder und Gesundheitsplaner dabei unterstützen, eine entsprechende Strategie zu entwickeln, um künftigen Anforderungen in der Strahlentherapie in der Schweiz gerecht zu werden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RadioOnkologieZentrum, KSA-KSB, Kantonsspital Aarau, Tellstrasse, 5001, Aarau, Switzerland

    Niloy Ranjan Datta, Shaka Khan, Dietmar Marder & Stephan Bodis

  2. Department of Radiotherapy, Kantonsspital Graubünden, Chur, Switzerland

    Daniel Zwahlen

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Stephan Bodis

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  1. Niloy Ranjan Datta
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  2. Shaka Khan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Niloy Ranjan Datta.

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Conflict of interest

N.R. Datta, S. Khan, D. Marder, D. Zwahlen and S. Bodis state that they have no competing interest.

Ethical standards

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Presented at the 19th Annual Meeting of the Scientific Association of Swiss Radiation Oncology (SASRO), Basel, 11–13 June 2015.

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Datta, N.R., Khan, S., Marder, D. et al. Radiotherapy infrastructure and human resources in Switzerland. Strahlenther Onkol 192, 599–608 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-016-1022-8

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