Statement on Registration of Allied Health Professionals - Medical Physicist Aspect
Medical physicists are responsible for appropriate and safe use of radiation in medicine. Their scope of work in hospitals is quite wide, covering all clinical departments that use radiation in diagnosis or treatment of diseases. To give an example of their work in disease treatment using radiation, medical physicists ensure that the radiation dose as prescribed by the doctor is delivered accurately to the diseased volume in the patient. To meet this requirement, medical physicists have to accurately calibrate the radiation dosimetry system of the treatment machine, test and ensure that the functionality and performance of the treatment and related equipment are up to defined quality standard, and test the integrity of the radiation source used for the treatment. Medical physicists are also involved in treatment planning, in which a series of design and dose calculation procedures are carried out to ensure that the prescribed radiation dose can adequately cover the treatment target volumes in the patient at the same time protecting the normal organs and tissue structures, thus reducing side effects to the patient.
The quality of practice of the medical physicists has direct impact on the outcome of the clinical procedures using radiation and this can affect a large number of patients. In the case of radiation therapy, any error made by a medical physicist is harmful to the patient. It has been reported by International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP Report No. 86) that during 1976 to 1986 over 10 major accidents in radiation therapy had occurred in overseas countries, in which 36 patients had died and many were injured. These incidents happed due to mistakes made directly or indirectly by medical physicists.
To protect the interest and wellbeing of the patients, the qualification and scope and standard of practice of medical physicists in Hong Kong should be put under statutory registration as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP).
Photo at press conference
Video at press conference