LINEAR ACCELERATOR FOR USE IN RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT: STUDY OF PROCESS INNOVATION IN A SUS HOSPITAL OF SERRA GAÚCHA
The growth of health structures and their complexity have led Clinical Engineering professionals to carry out studies to develop and implement health technology management programs. In this way, employees of this area, integrated with the health system teams, have contributed to make feasible the use of technologies that offer greater security, functionality and reliability. The radiotherapy area, with the increase in the incidence of new cases of cancer, together with the contingency of the financial resources for health, high cost and complexity of the equipment, motivate studies for its adequate management. This research aimed to identify the technologies applied in the radiotherapy treatment, in particular the linear accelerator, as well as the concept of innovation, innovation in services, innovation in processes and the competitiveness acquired with the aid of innovation. The method used in the research has a qualitative approach, with an exploratory and descriptive objective, with semistructured and open questions and involved bibliographic research on the topic of Innovation and on Linear Accelerator, document analysis, Unit of High Complexity in Oncology visit and interviews at the General Hospital of Caxias do Sul South, presenting, finally, the impacts suffered in the hospital and in the community after the arrival of the Line Accelerator. The results showed that there was process and product innovation, incrementally, in the services offered by the hospital.