[Radiotherapy safety: MEAH evaluation at three years]. / Sécurité en radiothérapie: résultats de trois ans d'expérience avec la Mission nationale d'expertise et d'audits hospitalier (MEAH).

The MEAH, a French national agency working on health services organization, has led a two-year campaign on safety improvement in radiotherapy centers. The pilot project involved three voluntary French cancer centers in 2005 and 2006. Building on the results of this project, a roll-out campaign has been launched, involving more than 50 additional cancer centers from 2007 and on. This paper presents the results of experiences of these campaigns. Notably, the axes of improvement chosen by professionals, such as risk analysis or use of checklists are discussed.

Prevalence, motives and patterns of anticipated radiograph ordering by nurses in accident and emergency departments in France.

BACKGROUND: Although common in many countries, anticipated ordering of radiographs by nurses in Accident and Emergency Departments (AEDs) remains illegal in France. Despite this, some evidence suggests that it is implemented in a number of AEDs. AIM: To describe the current state of the practice of anticipated ordering of radiographs by nurses in France. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite a low response rate (21.2%), the findings (prevalence and implementation patterns) stress the urgency of a broad review of this issue in France.

[Towards global security in radiation oncology. Using event notification feed-back]. / Vers une "politique sécurité" en oncologie-radiothérapie. La mise en oeuvre du retour d'expérience.

Large modifications are on going in our medical practice in oncology (cancer incidence, ageing, rules, authorizations, billings...). To obtain the best results as possible implies a quality control of the equipments (drugs, machines...), of the professionals (certification) and of the organisations (accreditations). Radiation oncology plays a key role in the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer ant is very sensitive to quality assurances due to its specificities: different tumours, various patients, multiple sequences of treatment with high tech machines and information systems. From 2003, a progress policy has been developed with the MeaH (Mission d'évaluation et d'audit hospitalier). Rapidly, the transfer of security policies from industry to medicine has been considered. This paper will present the first results and their potential implications in the field of oncology.