Job Description
The Cancer Registrar reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
The Cancer Registrar is a data information specialist who performs medical record review and captures a complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status for every cancer patient in the Northwestern Medicine Healthcare Corporation system. The registrar also maintains cancer program accreditation requirements through the American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer.
Registry data provides essential information to researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials to better monitor and advance cancer treatments, conduct research, and improve cancer prevention and screening programs. The cancer registrar proactively raises quality of care and quality of documentation issues to the appropriate committees, nurse and physician managers.
_ Responsibilities:_
- Work cooperatively and collaboratively with physicians and staff at all levels of seniority to define and achieve common aims.
- Assure that American College of Surgeons (ACoS) standards are met in Cancer Registry.
- Ensure complete and accurate data abstraction.
- Review all case finding resources to identify reportable cases and enter cases into suspense, such as ICD-10 disease indices, path reports, cytology reports, autopsy reports, dermatology office reports, ambulatory surgery reports, as relevant to their assigned facilities
- Abstract information from patients' electronic and/or manual medical records according to the Commission on Cancer standards.
- Consult with physicians, physician offices, and outside facilities to obtain incomplete information or clarify discrepant documentation.
- Update first course and subsequent treatment information as needed.
- Maintain the requisite 80%/90% follow up rate on eligible cases per ACoS standards, utilizing follow up letters, physician contact, outside facility contact, and if needed, patient contact.
- Update cancer status, progression/recurrence, and cause of death to provide accurate survival information.
- Work cooperatively to remedy errors to maintain abstracting accuracy goals and to ensure accuracy and integrity of database.
- Enter information into facility's data base and submits to Illinois Cancer Registry and National Cancer Database in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
- Uphold legal and ethical aspects of data security and confidentiality.
- Meet productivity reporting and quality standards.
- Complete necessary continuing education and participate in training as indicated.
- Participate in Cancer Registry quality initiatives, program development and process improvement initiatives.
- Completes other duties assigned by manager. Develop skills to provide cross coverage in daily registry activities as needed to ensure smooth work flow among individuals and as a team.
- Assist with Cancer Committee preparation and Survey/Program Activity Records responsibilities as required to meet accreditation by the ACoS.
- Assist with preparation for ACoS survey.