Evaluation of Workflow Pattern of The Radiation Therapy Department: a Case Study of a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Background: An organizational workflow is a reproducible pattern of action taken daily to achieve a particular task. Consequent to the pivotal role of the radiation therapy (RT) department in oncology, its workflow has many steps and processes which on disruption result in a high patient waiting time. This study aimed to assess the opinion of the staff regarding the workflow pattern, try to identify potential barriers, and highlight areas that need to be addressed to reduce patient service delay and foster better patient care. Material and Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of 20 questions grouped in four sections was given to the staff of the RT department of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. This cross-sectional survey was carried out from May to November 2021, and we analyzed the data using descriptive statistics. Results: We received and analyzed 70 questionnaires (83.3% response rate). Most participants were males (n=43; 61.4%), aged between 21 and 30 (n =50; 71.4%). Bachelor of science degrees was the dominating educational qualification (n=55; 78.6%), and most participants were radiographers (n=41; 72.9%). Potential factors affecting the workflow pattern of the department may be shortage of staff (n=36; 58.1%), inadequate modern technologies (n=27; 38.6%), equipment breakdown (n=27; 38.6%), and inadequate power supply (n=23; 32.9%), according to respondents’ perception. The major areas needing improvement were reporting (n=22; 31.4%) and reception/registration area (n=20; 28.6%). Conclusion: According to staff’s feedback, staff shortage, out-of-date technologies, equipment and electricity failures, and logistic challenges are the major causes of workflow disruption in the studied Nigerian RT department.