The Needs Of Radiation Protection Services In Shanghai Hospitals

Background:Radiation protection services are an important part of occupational health services. According to "The Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Act (ODPC-Act) of the People’s Republic of China" and "Notice on occupational health regulatory division of responsibilities" (Central Office issued [2010] No.104), the National Health and Family Planning Commission is responsible for the work on accreditation and supervision of radiation protection service agencies. To strengthen the management of radiation protection services, the National Health and Family Planning Commission promulgated a serie of regualtions, such as "Management of radiological health service agency"; "Regulations on examination of radiology clinic construction project" and "Management of database of radiation health expert". These regualtions, in company with "ODPC-Act"; "The Regulation on the Safety and Protection of Radioisotopes and Radiation Devices" (State Council Order No.449) and previous rgualtions, including "Radiology clinic regulations" (Ministry of Health Order No.46), "Measures for Securing Safety and Health of Radiation Workers" (Ministry of Health Order No.55) and the national occupational health standards, constitute a systematic legal system of radiological health. The legal system regulates not only the behavior of radiology and radiation health unit staffs, but also radiation protection services provided by health service agencies.Health service professionals are core element of radiological health service agencies to provide services. In order to fully understand radiation protection service agencies in Shanghai, the study, according the supply and demand, used health services demand method to analyze the demand of radiation protection services, to forecast the needs of human resources in radiation protection service institutions.Objective:To predict the need of human resources in Radiation Protection Service Agencies in Shanghai by analyzing the service need of the divisions of radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy in hospitals, using health service need method, the radiation protection service demand (Diagnostic Radiology) and supply (radiological health service agencies); to provide evidences for policy planning by estimating he needs of human resources.Methods:1 Information on lawsThe domestic laws and regulations on radiology institutions, on requirement of protection, and on service agencies were reviewed.2 Information on OperationsThe information on reality of such work was also collected and evaluated. Including relevent literatures, health bulletin, information and data annual published by the Ministry of Public Health focusing on the annual supervision and inspection; by the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau and the Shanghai Municipal Health Insception; or from the health administrative department’s websites and issued reports.3 Field studiesWe investigated nine representative radiological health service agencies by doing questionnaires to gather information on the status of their development, management, human resources, equipment, technical specifications adopted standards.4 Qualitative InterviewsIn qualitative interviews, the interviewees were health administrative departments’ directors, radiology clinics agency managers, persons who in charge radiation protection services and radiation health specialists in the field. Qualitative interviewing was based in analyzing settings, utilization and management of radiation protection service agencies.Results:1. Demand-sideThere are about 1,400 hospitals of radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy,6400 staffs including 5202 staffs engaged in X-ray diagnostic,625 fro radiology staffs, 364 for nuclear medicine and 458,for radiation therapy. There was a growing trend with an average growth rate of about 1,000 persons/year, and 3700 pieces of radiological instruments in Shanghai. The general growing trend of number of hospitals, staffs and quipmentswill bring a growing need of Radiation Protection Services.2. Supply-sideThere are 21 radition health service agencies, including 1 with Grade A level,3 with Grade B level, and the remaining 17 agencies only with radiation health qualification testing and evaluation. They are 152 total professionals in nine investigated radition health service agencies. Among them, the ratio of gender is balanced and the professional qualifications (senior, Intermediate, junior) is 1:1.2:1.4. Most of them are aged 30 to 49 years and have worked for more than 14 years. These agencies have 60 pieces of radiologic measurement equipments, including X, y survey meters, α, β surface contamination monitors, TL dosimeters, radiometers and other intelligent X, y. The majority of agencies could only provide limited service items related to testing and evaluation, and the capacity of services are low. Some agencies still use the provious radiological health service standards, codes without any update.3. Human resource needs analyzingPursuant to the national laws and regulations of radition health services, three services must be offered: the project of radiology clinic, radiology equipments testing, and evaluation and monitoring of personal dose of radiation workers. Using health service need method to predict radition health service agencies’ professionals there are about 330 radiological health service professionals needed.Recommendations:1 Maintaining the present radiation health service agencies in principle.2 Improving existing radiological health service institutions’ capabilities.3 Equipments in the health service agencies should meet the needs of service work and their laboratories should meet the requirements of regaltion" Radiation Health technical services management approach".