Value-based healthcare supports the introduction of innovative interventions in healthcare. Value-based scales for oncology are not readily applicable to radiation oncology, due to differences in innovations, outcomes and evidence.

The Value-Based Radiation Oncology (VBRO) project, supported by an UGent Chair, develops a value-framework for radiation oncology. It has 3 aims: definition and categorisation of innovations; definition of outcomes; definition of level of evidence and magnitude of benefit to support implementation.

A previous project developed a Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing model for radiotherapy, calculating radiotherapy resource costs and needs. It is being upgraded to incorporate innovative radiotherapy indications and techniques. It will also be used in economic evaluation of proton beam therapy.

Next, costs will be integrated in VBRO, to date only focusing on outcomes. A TD-ABC approach, tailored to defined categories of radiotherapy innovations, will be developed.