RADIOTHERAPY AND DIGITALIZATION
I work as a radiotherapist in the radiotherapy unit at Kuopio University Hospital. Radiotherapy is one of the forms of cancer treatment that uses a wide variety of technical equipment and different forms of digitalization. Different forms of digitalization have changed radiotherapy from the point of view of both patients and professionals. New tools are improving the accuracy, efficiency and patient safety of treatment.
Patient care:
- Deltabit (patient referral system) with fingerprint ID and facial image linked
- Uranus (patient information system) with integrated PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), RIS (A radiological information system), KUTI (patient transport service). Links directly to e.g. Kanta and Authority certificates
- Planning images (CT, MRI) are digitally transferred to dose planning systems. Numerous digital tools available, e.g. for fusion (combining different imaging modalities)
- Dose planning: structure drawing software for fusion and calculation, using machine learning, 3D/4D design (patient breathing), etc. Highly accurate dose planning software with deep-learning tools to speed up planning and reduce human error.
- IGRT (Image-Guided-Radiation Therapy) on the treatment machines, Catalyst (surface detection system) and Monaco-verification system, which transfers treatment data to the treatment machine systems and digitally records treatments
Professionals:
- Nepton- working time tracking
- Teams is used very extensively: meetings, trainings, contacts, information flow and sharing, day-to-day management
- Outlook
- Intranet: discussion boards
- Facebook: closed Facebook groups for professionals with occasional updates
- LinkedIn: a few physicists and doctors make occasional updates
NEW DIRECTIONS FOR RADIOTHERAPY
ChatGPT/Therapist-Psychologist: Through my schoolwork, I have become somewhat familiar with the platforms and applications that AI brings. On ChatGPT, I found the Therapist-Psychologist chat, which offers emotional support and guidance. I tested the chat and told it I had breast cancer. The “therapist” started by asking me how I was feeling and what kind of support I needed most. I told her I was ashamed of losing my breast. The “therapist” told me that she understood the shame associated with identity, femininity and self-esteem. Finally, she referred to discussing the issue with either family members or professionals. To which I replied in the negative. The “therapist” advised me to try writing or contacting cancer charity chat if it is difficult to meet people. It was a very pleasant experience, although the free version quickly reaches its limits. I could see this being useful for patients and their relatives who need psychological and emotional support. Opens thoughts more widely and gives keys to coping. A very low threshold platform as it is a machine that responds.
DeepL: Articles, studies and guidelines on radiotherapy are almost invariably in English. The app makes it quicker and easier for those who do not have such good language skills. High-quality translations of entire articles are easy. Of course, the problem would be the sometimes very challenging professional vocabulary, which I do not believe even this application can translate perfectly.
KaikuElekta: The app can be used to generate and collect valuable information on patient wellbeing and side effects, so that radiotherapy can be developed in a more patient-friendly and safer direction. Indeed, quality of life issues have long been a focus of interest in our unit, and here would be an app to capture the data. The app would also provide patients with high-quality, evidence-based self-care guidelines to reduce patient uncertainty about the harms associated with treatments. It also be used for all patient counselling and remote consultations. Two-way communication is also possible, for example, the app could be used to send reminders to the patient about appointments and medication intake.
X and Instagram: I’ve been thinking about another digital platform alongside Facebook to share information and experiences with other professionals. At the same time, it would be advertising for those interested in the sector. There are 12 radiotherapy units in Finland, so the expertise in the field is quite small. Instagram is used by the PSHVA and a few of the KUH units. PSHVA encourages making accounts and they are looking for ambassadors from different departments. The aim of social media ambassador activities is to build a positive image of the care sector and to provide information about different professions to those interested in the field. The platform would perhaps be better suited to information for the public. X-platform enables fast and direct connection between users globally, allowing for example equipment companies to participate in discussions and networking. This platform could be suitable for professionals, and apparently file sharing would be easier.
YouTube: This social platform we could use to make instructional videos. We could make instructional videos about therapy devices, facilities and DIBH technology, which is used in treatments of the left breast and lung area. The target group would mainly be patients and their relatives, as well as students. Videos can be captioned using YouTube’s own tool.
GOOD, BAD SOCIAL MEDIA
The main challenges of using social media in the social and health sector are related to misinformation and security. It is also important to think about clear rules in the workplace about what can be discussed on social media and how time is spent on it.
In the case of radiotherapy, misinformation and misleading information is circulating on social media. The most typical topics on radiotherapy are related to side effects. However, potential side effects are individual, influenced by the patient’s age, condition, other diseases, degree of cancer, etc. Patients may be confronted with misrepresentations about risks or efficacy, causing fear and ultimately even influencing treatment decisions.
Both patients and professionals need to be aware of privacy and how much personal information is shared publicly. Often, our patients take pictures of our treatment machines and say they will put them on Facebook. Some would like to include us in the picture, but we have refused to do so anyway.
SELF-ASSESMENT
One in three Finns will develop cancer at some point in their lives, and up to half of these will receive radiotherapy. Cancer treatments have improved over the years, with up to two out of three people being cured completely. Cancer treatment and its visibility on social media has grown over the years. Celebrities have been bold enough to share their experiences on their blogs, Instagram and Facebook. #fuckcancer is already internationally known hashtag.
I will become an expert on digitalization in the social and health sector. My mission is to develop the digitalization of the Radiotherapy Unit. This topic was very interesting and great for me. I was able to get acquainted with possible new social media platforms and I got new ideas.