Mark MiddletonCEO

Radiation Oncology Queensland

The role of the Radiation Therapist in 2014 – the basics don’t change but our horizons do.

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Outline

• Who I am

• Who ROQ is

• Radiation Therapist Basics and Beyond

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Who I am?

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• I am a Radiation Therapist

• Now CEO of ROQ

• Proud to be an RT and passionate about our profession

• So many opportunities for the RT in 2014

• Recognise the past and embrace the future

Who ROQ is?

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1700 kms1000 miles

Our Profession

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• Complex work – technically demanding, emotionally demanding

• Challenging

• Technology driven

• Team focus

• Service to our communities

• Opportunities are endless

The Basics

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• Exceptional Patient Care

• Technical competence – planning and treatment

• Fundamental knowledge of how our discipline works

• Team work

• Communication

The Basics

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IGRT

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IGRT

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Complex Dosimetry

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Complex Delivery

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The Basics

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•Foundation of everything we do

•These things don’t change

•The environment, our horizons do and they are

changing rapidly

Acceptance

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• RT is an amazing career with amazing challenges

• Technology, learning, growth opportunities

• It is not an easy career and to be truly successful is extremely difficult

• You can do it

Beyond

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• Role in 2014 and beyond

• Basics

• Leadership – complex environment

• Mentorship – new technology means more teaching and

‘refresh’ learning

Beyond

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• Research – present, publish

• Innovation – new ideas, ‘road test’ software and hardware

• Workplace Culture – patient care is not great in a dysfunctional environment

• Workflow Design – leaps in ‘paperless’ departments

Beyond

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• Professional Development - endless

• Multi-faceted professional

The Horizon

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• Health

• More with less $

• Brain drain – exceptional RTs

• Technology changing faster than our ability to adapt?

The Horizon

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Evolution in techniques and

delivery technologies will

accelerate

Care more and more personalised

Communication and information

transfer

Consumer knowledge increases

Exceptional Patient CareExceptional Patient CareExceptional Patient Care

Smarter and more innovative than ever

before

The Horizon

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Innovation

Courage

Innovation

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• Innovation = Motivation and Resources

• Innovation = Motivation and Resources

Innovation

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How do we embrace the Beyond?

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• Where is the next generation of leaders?

• Disruptive thought, thought leaders

• Challenge the way we have done things

Embrace Change

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• Pride in our profession

• Empathy – scares people

• Leadership, vision, people need to know ‘why’ and how we are going to get there

Embrace Change

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• Listen! – regularly assess your processes

• Remove SSDs

• Remove tracking of iso-shifts

• Breast technique - evolve

Embrace Change

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• Don’t be insular/isolated

• Look to successful organisations/leaders

• Attendance at International meetings

• Present at International meetings

Learn Externally

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Scan Horizons

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Scan Horizons

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CTs

MRI

Pain relief for chemotherapy and radiation treatments

INSPIRING

‘We choose to go to the moon’

Blueprint for success

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1. Get a mentor

2. Get motivated

3. Build relationships and networks

4. Be passionate about your career – you worked hard to get here, make it count

5. Confront your public speaking fear – conquer it

6. Embrace support and feedback – understand gratitude

7. Be prepared to work hard – success does not land in your lap!

8. Be bold

Team

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Team

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Conclusion

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• We can be more than our traditional stereotype

• Clinical excellence

• Academic expertise

• Management and motivation

• Innovation and thought leaders

Conclusion

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• We can do research

• We can present our work internationally and hold our own in any company

• We can publish our work

• We can lift our research profile

Recognition = Status = Rewards

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INNOVATION

VISION

BASICS

Conclusion

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In 2014, in 2020 and in 2050 one basic fundamental will never change;

Hard Work = Success

“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth

doing.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Conclusion