"Radformation's products are incorporated in the patient's journey through treatment, from start to finish."
In celebration of National Medical Dosimetrists' Day, we are recognizing Ben Harrington, CMD, as our August User of the Month. Learn how Ben and the team at MaineHealth have built an automation-driven planning workflow that streamlines every stage of radiation therapy.
Every radiation treatment plan tells the story of a team working together to deliver the very best care possible. At the heart of every plan is a medical dosimetrist, carefully balancing target coverage, organ sparing, efficiency, and patient safety. It takes technical expertise, creativity, and clinical judgment, and for Ben Harrington, CMD, that's exactly what makes being a dosimetrist so rewarding.
Every day, medical dosimetrists quietly combine science, technology, and creativity to develop treatment plans that give patients the best possible chance of successful treatment while protecting healthy tissue. It's a role that often happens behind the scenes, but it’s one that changes lives every single day.
As a Medical Dosimetrist at MaineHealth, Ben works alongside a multidisciplinary team that treats approximately 2,200 patients each year across five linear accelerators and four treatment clinics. His role sits at the intersection of technology and patient care, where every decision contributes to delivering the safest, highest-quality radiation therapy possible.
In celebration of National Dosimetry Day, we're proud to recognize Ben as Radformation's August User of the Month.
Building a more efficient planning workflow
Like many departments, MaineHealth understands the pressures that come with busy clinics, increasing patient volumes, and limited staffing. Four years ago, the team began modernizing its radiation oncology workflow with a clear vision: reduce repetitive work, improve efficiency, and catch potential issues as early as possible. By embracing automation, they created more time to focus on the thoughtful planning decisions that make a real difference for every patient.
Today, automation is woven into nearly every stage of MaineHealth's planning workflow. From contour generation and plan evaluation to secondary dose verification, chart review, and billing integrity, the team has built a connected workflow that reduces repetitive tasks while giving clinicians more time to focus on the decisions that matter most.
"Radformation's products are incorporated in the patient's journey through treatment from start to finish."
The workflow begins with AutoContour generating organs-at-risk and nodal structures after simulation. ClearCheck automatically loads prescription-specific constraints, planning templates, and collision checks, helping standardize the planning process. Once planning is complete, ClearCalc performs an independent secondary dose calculation without the export-and-import steps Ben once relied on. QuickCode helps support billing integrity, while the physics team uses ChartCheck and ClearCheck during plan review and weekly chart checks. Even physicians benefit through automated Chart Rounds worklists and review tools. Together, these solutions create a connected workflow that supports the entire patient journey, from simulation through treatment, helping every member of the care team work more efficiently and confidently.
"The original. The Old Faithful."
When asked which Radformation product he couldn't imagine working without, Ben doesn't hesitate. "ClearCheck. It's the Original. The Old Faithful."
Before ClearCheck, generating plan reports meant moving between Eclipse workspaces, capturing screenshots, exporting data, and assembling documentation manually in Adobe. Today, the entire process takes only a few clicks, reducing both planning time and opportunities for error. Today, customized reports are generated in just a few clicks, improving consistency and reducing opportunities for error.
But for Ben, ClearCheck's value extends well beyond report generation. It catches mistakes before they become costly, supports physician chart rounds, integrates directly with ClearCalc for secondary dose verification, and serves as the foundation for much of the department's quality assurance workflow.
"ClearCheck is what brings it all together."
Solving problems before they become delays
One workflow improvement stands out above the rest. Before implementing ClearCalc, Ben recalls spending frustrating amounts of time trying to achieve acceptable agreement on low-density lung SBRT second checks. In particularly difficult cases, he created and exported more than fifteen calculation points before obtaining an acceptable result.
Today, thanks to ClearCalc's integrated workflow and advanced calculation algorithm, that entire process has disappeared. "Having more efficient software integration and a superior algorithm in ClearCalc has eliminated the manual problem of secondary dose calculations"
Making time for what matters most
As treatment complexity continues to increase, Ben believes automation has become essential.
Retreatments, adaptive workflows, replanning due to anatomical changes, and growing patient volumes all place increasing demands on dosimetrists. Rather than replacing clinical expertise, automation supports it by handling repetitive tasks, reducing avoidable errors, and giving dosimetrists more time to focus on complex planning decisions where their experience makes the greatest difference.
"Automation software helps us accelerate routine tasks, eliminate mistakes, and free up time to focus on the creative and challenging aspects of planning."
For Ben, automation doesn't replace clinical judgment. It protects it by removing repetitive work so dosimetrists can focus on solving the planning challenges that truly require their expertise.
Why dosimetry?
After working as both an EMT and nurse aide, Ben knew he wanted a healthcare career. What he didn't expect was that medical dosimetry would provide the perfect balance between meaningful patient care, technical problem-solving, and a career he can see himself doing for many years. Today, what keeps him motivated is knowing that every treatment plan directly affects a real person. “Radiation therapy is a life-changing treatment with irreversible effects. Remembering the significance of a quality plan to the patient behind the screen motivates me to ensure every plan is optimal.”
For those considering the profession, Ben offers straightforward advice:
"It is a great choice of career, but you must be honest and self-motivated, because the dosimetrist is the most surefire defense against poor treatment plans reaching the patient."
Looking ahead
Like many dosimetrists, Ben is excited by where the profession is heading. From FLASH radiotherapy to new planning technologies and smarter automation, he hopes to continue learning, growing, and helping shape the future of radiation oncology
When he's away from the clinic, Ben enjoys spending time with his wife and two young daughters, playing tennis and golf, and sitting down at the piano. His family also enjoys traveling to Kenya to visit relatives, where his youngest daughter especially loves seeing the elephants, though she affectionately calls them "goats."
Happy National Dosimetry Day!
This National Medical Dosimetrist's Day, we celebrate Ben and every dosimetrist whose expertise, dedication, and attention to detail make exceptional patient care possible. Thank you for the countless decisions you make each day, often behind the scenes, that have a lasting impact on the lives of patients and their families.
Happy National Medical Dosimetrists' Day from all of us at Radformation.
