Medical physics aspects in accreditation of radiation oncology practice

Diagnosis of cancer is usually a life‑changing experience for patients and their loved ones. As they seek treatment for their disease, cancer patients need to know that they are receiving safe and appropriate care. When the cancer patient receives radiation treatment at an accredited radiation oncology facility, he can rest assured that his treatment will be done at a facility that has met the highest level of quality and radiation safety. Therefore, it is important to understand that every aspect of the accreditation process is overseen by certified, expert radiation oncologists and medical physicists. Accreditation is important as it signifies achievement in the areas of quality and patient safety as well as recognition by peers in the field of radiation oncology. According to Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc., " Accreditation is a process of review that health‑care organizations participate in to demonstrate the ability to meet predetermined criteria and standards of accreditation established by a professional accrediting agency. Accreditation of a facility implies that the organization is credible and reputable and is dedicated to ongoing and continuous compliance with the highest standard of quality. " To achieve accreditation, a facility's personnel qualifications, equipment requirements, quality assurance (QA), and quality control procedures need to go through a rigorous review process to ensure they have met specific qualifications. This editorial focuses primarily on the accreditation process implemented by the American College of Radiology (ACR), which is one of the oldest accrediting organizations in the United States of America. In the USA, accreditation is voluntary and involves nongovernmental peer review and implies that the radiation oncology facility has met a defined set of minimum standards. However, accrediting organizations are lobbying the US Congress to adopt a resolution making accreditation mandatory. There are several organizations that offer accreditation for radiation oncology practices. They include ACR, American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO), and recently American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). ACR accreditation program was initially launched in 1987. In 2008, ACR started a collaboration with ASTRO to run the program. In 2011, a web‑based electronic program was launched by ACR. At present, approximately 670 out of nearly 3000 radiation oncology facilities are accredited by ACRs Radiation Oncology Practice Accreditation program (ROPA) alone. Since its establishment in 1995, ACRO accreditation program has provided accreditation to approximately 200 facilities. The ACRO accreditation program has also undergone periodic revisions to reflect clinical and scientific advances in the …