Gordon’s generosity leads to linear innovation | Metro South Health

Published: 07 November 2024

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https://www.metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/pa-hospital/gordons-generosity-leads-to-linear-innovation

It might be called a linear accelerator but PA Hospital Radiation Therapist, Gordon Lu was thinking outside the box when he designed an innovation that has streamlined the patient treatment experience for breast cancer and improved Radiation Therapy workflow.

Gordon’s inexpensive 3D-printed panels have reduced manual handling by the therapists and the amount of effort required by fatigued patients with comorbidities to position themselves on the linear accelerator bed.

Gordon said radiation therapists have a need for this device every day when setting up the machine for each breast cancer patient.

“It is common for the bed of the linear accelerator to move as patients get on and off the platform.This requires staff to constantly move the equipment back into position,” he said. “But the patients are also aware that the bed has moved requiring some shuffling to reposition.

“This device improves the stability of the base which prevents staff from readjusting over and over each day, and has also reduced the concerns of patients who no longer need to worry about this small part of their treatment set-up.”

Gordon said this is particularly relevant for patients who have comorbidities or have difficulty mobilising based on age or obesity.

With Radiation Oncology PAH campus treating approximately 120 patients each day, about 40 of those are attending for breast cancer radiation. It is estimated that Gordon’s innovation saves one minute per patient, totalling 30-60 minutes each day in resetting the bed.

While this is a perceived saving in the context of a full 8am to 9pm day of treatment, Gordon says it is still very rewarding to consider that this simple innovation is increasing the workflow efficiency to the tune of 150-310 hours per year.

“I have a personal interest in 3D-printing and with this type of technology becoming cheaper to use, the idea just occurred to me that we could save all of our therapists from doing this one adjustment over and over,” he said.

Gordon was awarded the October PAH Staff Award for Excellence for his innovation and the nomination also praised him for continuously shows generosity in his everyday practice as a radiation therapist.

Last updated: 07 November 2024