General tasks
The medical physicist forms part of a multi-disciplinary team whose responsibility is to provide scientific advice on the physical concepts and technology that underpin the radiological, nuclear medical and radiotherapeutic services while ensuring that the well-being, interests, and dignity of patients are promoted and safeguarded at all times. Some of the general tasks of the medical physicist include:
- Patient service and safety: Medical physics ensure safe and high-quality use of medical devices, and the protection of patients from physical agents, particularly from ionising radiation as outlined in European and National legislation. In line with Legal Notice 210 of 2018, a hospital must determine the radiation dose delivered to the patient (dosimetry).
- Technical specification of medical device systems and facilities: Medical physicists are stakeholders during the drafting of technical specifications for radio-diagnostic or radio-therapeutic systems, providing advice on physics, radiation safety and image quality.
- Acceptance testing of medical devices: After installation or major modifications, medical physicists test systems to ensure they meet tender specifications and comply with international and European standards. Systems are approved for use only if test results are satisfactory.
- Commissioning of medical devices: Following acceptance testing, medical physicists establish extensive baseline measurements to which future testing of the system will be compared to. A commissioned system is one that is prepared for clinical use on patients.
- Quality assurance of medical devices: Medical physicists are responsible for defining and carrying out routine quality assurance tests to assess clinically relevant parameters of the system with the aim of detecting faults and errors before they have a deleterious effect on patient service or safety.
- Quality control: Referred to also as constancy tests, these are simple, quick tests designed by medical physicists for medical physicists and other health care professionals to carry out basic checks of medical devices.
- Procedure introduction and revision: Medical physicists offer advice and assist in the introduction of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. This involves an assessment of risks and best practices to avoid or minimise them.