A Model Proposal for Selecting the Most Appropriate Radiotherapy Devices for Hospitals

Choosing the appropriate radiotherapy device is an immensely important decision for hospitals, particularly in the field of oncology, where these devices come in a variety of technological forms, each with unique attributes, functionalities, and considerations. This study aims to select the most suitable radiotherapy device for healthcare institutions. To address the complexity and uncertainty inherent in this decision-making process, hesitant fuzzy AHP is employed, allowing for the incorporation of hesitant preferences provided by decision-makers. The proposed hierarchical decision model comprises five main criteria: Technical characteristics (radiation leakage limit, dose rate, field size, flattening filter, multileaf collimator, IGART and respiratory motion management system), training, installation, and utilization (training of user/s, ease of use, software/hardware upgrade availability and delivery time), warranty and maintenance (maintenance tasks, ease of maintenance design, service contract type, spare parts availability post- warranty, uptime guarantee), economic factors (cost efficiency, payment terms), and brand’s features (reliability, relationships, corporate social responsibility). Through a real-world case study, the use of this model and methodology is illustrated. Following a thorough evaluation involving specialists with diverse expertise, it was determined that the paramount factor in the selection process of a radiotherapy device is its technical characteristics.