Interconnected gears symbolize a dynamic radiotherapy center focused on patient care.

Radiotherapy Quality: From Reactive Management to Proactive Improvement

Kai Mendoza in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"How a French Radiotherapy Group Enhanced Quality Management with Dynamic Strategies and Digital Tools"

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in treatments is paramount. Radiotherapy, a critical component in cancer care, demands rigorous quality management systems. Since the publication of the international standard NF EN ISO 9000 in 2000, healthcare facilities providing care have been urged to make available a quality management system. This framework is designed to safeguard the safety and quality of treatments. This is further reinforced by Article L. 6113-3 of the Public Health Code (revised in 2010), which mandates the continuous improvement of healthcare quality for patients.

Regulatory bodies such as Regional Health Agencies (ARS), the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), and the High Authority for Health (HAS) rely on these standards to ensure compliance during inspections. Early on, the Groupement de Radiothérapie et d'Oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP) proactively developed its quality system to align with these recommendations and meet the requirements set forth by these governing bodies.

The GROP, consisting of two facilities in Pau and Tarbes, France, focuses on providing radiotherapy and curietherapy treatments. Recognizing the importance of a unified approach, GROP has been committed to standardizing its practices across both locations, with a strong emphasis on teamwork and consistent application. This commitment aims to improve efficiency and service quality, ultimately supporting the best possible results for every patient.

Embracing Dynamic Quality Management: A Strategic Shift

Interconnected gears symbolize a dynamic radiotherapy center focused on patient care.

In 2015, the GROP embarked on a journey to evolve its quality management system from a traditional, reactive approach to a dynamic, proactive model. This shift was driven by the need for continuous optimization and a desire to enhance the effectiveness of the existing quality framework. The team identified two key areas for improvement:

Engaging Process Drivers: By empowering staff members directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the radiotherapy process, GROP aimed to foster a sense of ownership and accountability in maintaining quality standards. These 'process drivers' would act as champions for quality within their respective areas, ensuring that protocols were followed and improvements were identified.

Enhanced ownership and accountability among staff.
More effective implementation of quality standards.
Improved identification of areas for process improvement.

Investing in a Digital Document Management System: Recognizing the limitations of a paper-based system, GROP invested in a document management software solution (BlueKanGo) to streamline documentation, improve accessibility, and ensure that all staff members had access to the most up-to-date information.

Key Takeaways for Healthcare Professionals

GROP's journey offers several key insights for healthcare professionals and organizations looking to enhance their own quality management systems: Empowering process drivers and investing in digital tools can drive significant improvements in quality and efficiency.

A dynamic quality management approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement, leading to better patient outcomes and greater staff engagement.

By sharing their experiences and results, GROP hopes to inspire other healthcare organizations to embrace dynamic quality management principles and embark on their own journeys toward excellence in patient care.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.canrad.2017.07.041, Alternate LINK

Title: De La Démarche Qualité Vers La Gestion Dynamique Par La Qualité : Déploiement Au Sein D’Un Groupe De Radiothérapie

Subject: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging

Journal: Cancer/Radiothérapie

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: B. Guerrier, É. Halm, M. Craman, J.-P. Dujols, J.-L. Norkowski, K. Meynard

Published: 2017-10-01

Everything You Need To Know

What key changes did the Groupement de radiothérapie et d'oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP) make to its quality management approach?

The Groupement de radiothérapie et d'oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP) transitioned its quality management from a reactive to a proactive model. This means that instead of just responding to problems after they occur, GROP now actively works to prevent issues. They achieved this shift by implementing dynamic strategies and digital tools to continually improve patient care in radiotherapy and curietherapy treatments.

What is the role of 'Process Drivers' in GROP's quality management system and why is it important?

A crucial aspect of GROP's enhanced quality management system involves engaging 'Process Drivers'. These are staff members directly involved in the daily radiotherapy operations. They act as champions, ensuring protocols are followed and identifying areas for process improvement. The implications are enhanced ownership, better implementation of quality standards, and more effective identification of areas needing improvement, all contributing to better patient outcomes.

Why did the Groupement de radiothérapie et d'oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP) invest in a digital document management system?

The importance of a digital document management system, like the one using BlueKanGo, is significant. The Groupement de radiothérapie et d'oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP) recognized the limitations of paper-based systems. BlueKanGo streamlines documentation, enhances accessibility of information, and ensures staff have the most current information. This is crucial for maintaining high quality and compliance with standards.

What are the core standards and regulations that guide the quality management system?

The core concepts underpinning the quality management system are the standards and recommendations of the NF EN ISO 9000 international standard and the mandates of the Public Health Code's Article L. 6113-3. These encourage healthcare facilities to provide a quality management system and improve healthcare quality for patients. The Regional Health Agencies (ARS), the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), and the High Authority for Health (HAS) rely on these standards to ensure compliance during inspections, highlighting their critical role in regulatory oversight.

Why is standardizing practices across the Groupement de radiothérapie et d'oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP)'s facilities important?

The Groupement de radiothérapie et d'oncologie des Pyrénées (GROP) provides radiotherapy and curietherapy treatments. Standardizing practices across both facilities, in Pau and Tarbes, France, is vital because it ensures consistency in patient care. This commitment aims to improve efficiency and service quality, leading to the best possible results for every patient. The focus on teamwork and consistent application helps in achieving these goals.