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Sep 30
Education

EDU 57 - Contingency Planning for Disruptions Due to Loss of Hardware and/or Software Functionality

05:15pm - 06:15pm PT
Patient Safety and Quality

MODERATOR(S)

Katja Langen, PhD - University of Maryland

session DESCRIPTION

Extended disruptions in treatment capabilities due to unforeseen events — such as cyberattacks or equipment failures — pose significant challenges for radiotherapy departments. Despite the recognized importance of contingency planning, many institutions struggle to implement robust plans due to the significant resources required and the absence of firsthand experience with such events. Often, contingency plans are only developed reactively, following a disruptive incident. This session aims to share insights from two centers that have developed contingency plans to navigate major disruptions: Case Study 1: A proton center which is part of an academic department developed contingency plans for prolonged equipment malfunction, including the development of alternative treatment approaches for all patients during the outage. Case Study 2: A community hospital developed contingency plans for hospital-wide disruption of IT infrastructure including the inability to access to most electronic records. Strategies developed from table-top exercises will be outlined. Moving from a fixed process workflow to fluid and flexible procedures while maintaining quality is essential to business continuity. The session will conclude with a focused discussion on the broader aspects of contingency planning, addressing questions such as: What are common roadblocks to implementing contingency plans? What tools and strategies are most effective for mitigating the impact of hardware or IT infrastructure loss? Designing a process that includes post-disruption recovery, attendees will leave this session with actionable insights and practical tools to enhance their institutions readiness for major disruptions, ensuring continuity of care and streamlined recovery processes.

learning objectives

  1. Understand the various aspects of a contingency plan.
  2. Facilitate the development of a contingency plan.

Credits

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits: 1.00

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