Every square foot of space in a cancer care facility must balance advanced technology with human dignity. RAD’s Modular Medical Facilities (MMF) have redefined chemotherapy environments, vaults, simulation rooms, and treatment spaces, while preserving warmth, privacy, and a calming patient experience.
Radiation Safety Through Thoughtful Shielding
Safety is the primary focus in radiation oncology, and this starts with a strong shielding design. Important guidelines, like NCRP Report No. 151, provide clear methods for calculating the shielding needed for megavoltage radiation therapy facilities.
These methods look at:
- The amount of radiation produced over time (for example, Gy per week)
- How often are nearby areas used by staff or the public
- The percentage of time the radiation beam is directed at each barrier
These affect how thick the barriers need to be (for example, using concrete or lead) to keep radiation exposure within safe limits.
Shielding designs often reference other reports, such as NCRP 147 for CT simulators, NCRP 151 for LINAC vaults, or NCRP 49 for gamma rays up to 18 MV (AAPM). A health physicist must conduct surveys after installation to ensure everything meets safety standards and fix any issues that arise.
Designing a Healing Environment in a Technical Space
While radiation treatment areas must meet exacting safety standards, the patient experience should never be compromised. International guidelines emphasize:
- Pleasant, reassuring atmospheres with reduced institutional feel
- Natural light wherever possible, with dimmable and color-corrected lighting in treatment areas to enhance comfort and clinical accuracy
- Privacy and dignity, achieved through thoughtful sightlines, private spaces for sensitive discussions, and easy-to-draw curtains
Workflow Efficiency & Spatial Flexibility
Hospitals often house multiple functional zones within radiation oncology:
- Treatment vaults
- Simulation rooms
- Planning and dosimetry areas
- Control rooms
- Patient prep and recovery
- Reception and staff zones
Operational efficiency demands early integration of these, with attention to:
- Patient flows and wayfinding, crucial for radiotherapy patients who often return repeatedly and may require support
- Functional adjacencies of staff and support zones to shorten transit and ease logistics
- Flexibility to accommodate future growth, technology upgrades, or increasing patient volume
Modular Delivery: Fast and Forward-Looking
Modular construction offers:
- Accelerated delivery: Up to 80% of the build is completed off-site concurrently with site prep, so patients are treated sooner with less disruption.
- Scalability: Easily expanded to add vaults, simulation areas, or support spaces without major renovation.
- Compliance: Modular builds can meet or surpass infection control, ADA, and radiation shielding standards.
Why RAD Stands Out in Modular Radiation Oncology
By integrating RAD’s modular strengths with radiation oncology requirements, facilities benefit from:
- Safety-first construction: Shielding designed per NCRP standards and verified by certified health physicists.
- Compassionate interior design: Warm, well-lit, private, and non-institutional.
- Operational efficiency: Thoughtful adjacencies, patient flow, and room flexibility.
- Speed and scalability: Faster build timelines and seamless expansion opportunities.
- Financial and environmental sustainability: Factory efficiency yields cost savings, waste reduction, and leasing options to preserve capital.
Future-Ready Spaces for the Next Era of Oncology
Designing radiation oncology spaces demands meticulous attention to safety and regulatory compliance. RAD’s modular medical oncology framework, rooted in patient-centric design, flexibility, cost-efficiency, and accelerated delivery, provides an ideal foundation. By tailoring it to the specific demands of radiation therapy, RAD provides cutting-edge cancer treatment environments swiftly and sustainably, empowering healthcare providers to deliver safe and compassionate care. Contact us today to learn more.