2023 RO-ILS Radiation Oncologist Safety Stars
For the first time in 2023, RO-ILS solicited nominations from the radiation oncology community for safety stars to promote engagement, celebrate unsung contributions, and promote safety culture. RO-ILS participants were invited to nominate their colleagues for national recognition. Many fantastic physicians were nominated, and all are worthy of acknowledgement in their own right.
Congratulations to the 2023 Radiation Oncologist Safety Stars! (Listed in alphabetical order.)
 | John V. Hegde, MD |
“Dr. Hegde is the Radiation Safety Officer for our department where we have weekly quality meetings and monthly department-wide meetings. Dr. Hegde helped launch a Lessons Learned "L&L" where teams are invited to share cases that teach an important safety issue in a case-based fashion. This has been a huge hit, something we look forward to every month! Additionally, Dr. Hegde is a wealth of information. He is available day or night to review a plan, answer questions to optimize patient care, or to bounce thoughts – both when I was a resident and now as a colleague.”
 | Itai M. Pashtan, MD |
“Dr. Pashtan has been the Network QI Committee Chair for the past five years and has been instrumental in fostering a just culture framework within the department, which has resulted in a healthy safety reporting culture. To support this effort, he developed a quality improvement committee visitor program to enhance transparency and improve staff engagement with regard to safety. Dr. Pashtan is a surveyor for ASTRO's APEx: Accreditation Program for Excellence, which reflects his dedication to maintaining and promoting excellence within the field of radiation oncology.”
 | Terence T. Sio, MD, MS |
“Working with his medical physics, dosimetry, and therapy teams, Dr. Sio has helped contribute to a number of respiratory motion and IGRT practices and protocols, which are now being used daily in both photon and proton-based treatments for our department. He has been getting more involved in our safety and incident learning system programs and is helping identify areas in the clinic that can use systematic improvement. Outside of our facility, he recently worked with other experts to update ASTRO’s Safety White Paper on IGRT.”
