ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S109

Invited Speaker

ESTRO 2025

It was developed by Toyota car industries to optimize their processes. The basis is to add customer value while minimizing waste (‘Muda’) in the process, with respect for all people involved in the process. It has grown into a methodology for quality improvement with tools for process optimization and continuous improvement. Lean process optimization in radiation oncology This lecture addresses the parallels between the car industry and radiation oncology and how we can use lean thinking for quality improvement in our field of work, with experiences from clinical practice at the radiation oncology department of Erasmus MC Cancer Institute. In a multiprofessional setting the radiotherapy processes and bottlenecks are analyzed thoroughly while identifying waste; steps in the processes that not directly contribute to value for the patient. By eliminating waste such as waiting time and excessive processing, throughput time for patients to start their treatment is decreased with several days. At the same time, the daily workload of colleagues has become more balanced and the amount of rework is minimized. Lean continuous improvement Toyota has a clear vision for the future. In a culture of continuous quality improvement, the company encourages all experts in the process to use their talent for quality improvement initiatives, together working towards this ultimate goal in PDCA-cycles.

Crossing this translational gap between car industry and radiation oncology can bring a culture of continuous quality improvement to radiotherapy departments, resulting in improved processes and thus better treatment for our patients with regard to waiting times.

4827

Speaker Abstracts From innovation to adoption through trials of clinical implementation Erin Gillespie Radiation Oncology, University of Washington Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle, USA

Abstract: Despite significant technological and scientific advances in radiation oncology, uptake of new evidence-based practices has been heterogeneous, ranging from 0 to 14 years from initial evidence to widespread adoption. In some instances, adoption of new technologies has outpaced our field's ability to generate evidence to support their use. Meanwhile, even when evidence is readily available and incorporated into national and international guidelines, uptake has been slow. Health services research provides population-level estimates of care variation and