Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1) Discussion. Radiation therapy, surgery,
and medical oncology-chemotherapy combined are often the most effective
treatment for cancer. Specific planning for these modes of treatment is
necessary to insure proper cost and quality of care for the citizens of
Alabama. Surgery is often a "one-time" service and may or may not be offered
close to the patient's home. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are generally
provided on a daily basis for an extended period of time, and so are often more
accessible if provided close to a patient's residence.
(2) Definition.
(a) "Radiation Therapy" is a clinical
specialty in which ionizing radiation is used for treatment of cancer. The
predominant form of radiation therapy involves an external source of radiation
focused on the diseased area.
(b)
"Oncology" is the discipline devoted to the delivery of specialized care to
those patients afflicted with cancer. The delivery of care to these patients
involves the diagnosis of cancer, the staging and determining the distribution
of cancer, and the treatment of cancer. Treatments involve coordination of care
often with radiation oncologists and surgeons. The primary modes of treatment
for these patients are hormonal therapy and immunotherapy.
(3) Surgery for cancer is usually provided in
a hospital setting and may be done on an outpatient and/or inpatient
basis.
(4) Medical
oncology/chemotherapy is the introduction of certain chemical agents into a
patient's body to inhibit or prevent the growth of cancerous cells and may be
done on an inpatient or outpatient basis.
(5) Planning Policies
(a) Planning Policy: A megavoltage radiation
therapy unit (which is a single megavoltage machine or energy source) shall
serve a population of at least 150,000 persons and perform 6,000
treatments/patient visits annually within three (3) years of
initiation.
(b) Planning Policy: No
additional megavoltage units shall receive approval unless each existing
megavoltage unit in the county is performing at least 6,000 treatments/patient
visits per year.
(c) Planning
Policy: When applying the standard of 6,000 treatments per year, the limited
specialized use of special purpose (i.e. radiosurgery, stereotactic body
radiation therapy, proton therapy) and extra high energy machines shall also
receive consideration. Furthermore, if existing equipment does not offer
integrated kilovoltage image guidance and multi-leaf collimator-based intensity
modulated radiation therapy, existing equipment will not be considered in
applying the 6,000 treatment per year rule as long as the competing or
replacement equipment includes these features.
(d) Preference for new radiation therapy
services shall be given to those applicants who combine/locate co-existent with
chemotherapy treatment modalities, as these services are most accessible when
provided in a single location.
Note: The numerical standards contained in the above Planning
Policies were obtained from Radiation Oncology in Integrated Cancer Management
Report of the Inter-Society Council for Radiation Oncology, November
1986.
(6) Data on
Oncology services is available from the State Health Planning and Development
Agency.
Author: Statewide Health Coordinating Council
(SHCC)
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975, §
22-21-260(4).
