What is a Cancer Registrar? Do you have what it takes to be a Cancer Registrar? Registrars are highly trained healthcare professionals that have a wide variety of backgrounds and work experiences. But one thing they all have in common is a passion for their work. If you have the basic set of skills, are self-motivated, willing to work hard you just may have what it takes. Let’s look a bit further …
Do you have an interest in any of the following areas?
- Medicine, specifically oncology,
- Cancer research or science, clinical trials,
- Cancer prevention and screening,
- Health information management,
- Computers and technology,
- Statistics or mathematics,
- Public or population health,
- Quality improvement, evidence-based care
- Networking, collaborating, and building relationships.
What are your current skill sets?
- Critical thinker (see also core competencies on this website)
- Problem-solver,
- Efficient and able to manage time well,
- Organized,
- Excellent verbal and written communicator,
- Understand fundamentals of anatomy and physiology and medical terminology,
- Excellent presentation skills,
- Analytical,
- Self-disciplined, a self-starter,
- Ability to work well in moderate to high stress environments,
- Focused,
- Detail-oriented,
- Have an investigative mindset,
- Always seeking new learning opportunities.
Have you ever participated in, and enjoyed, any of these events?
- Relay for Life, American Cancer Society,
- Community cancer prevention or screening events,
- Hospital or Cancer Center volunteer work,
- Clinic or patient-centered concierge or reception.
There is no right or wrong background to becoming a cancer registrar. What is important, just as with any career choice, is that you match your skills and interests with the career you are choosing. Now that you’ve worked your way through the basics above, let’s look at the types of tasks or work that a cancer registrar may do day-to-day.
Data collection is a big part of the Registrar’s work. It is their responsibility to identify the cases that are reportable and to gather the data from the medical record (electronic, paper or both), to review it and extract the required data elements based on a complex, yet fairly concise set of reporting standards and deadlines. Here is a short list of some of these tasks:
- Identify cases, or case-finding,
- Review, interpret and enter the correct information into the medical record,
- Assign proper codes and enter a significant amount of text notes to validate the codes used,
- Visually and electronically review and validate the information just entered is correct,
- Ensure that the data meets all the coding and standards guidelines for multiple standard-setting agencies,
- Gather patient follow-up and cancer status information,
- Prepare, validate and submit data as required to the State and standard-setting organizations,
- Run data and statistical reports, prepare numerical or graphical reports,
- Manage the cancer registry data management system, collaborating with software vendors and IT staff as needed,
- Provide cancer data services and support to the facility’s physicians, administrators and cancer program staff,
- Provide support for the facility’s community outreach programs,
- Be proactive and a contributing member to the cancer program team.
What types of statistical or data anlysis reports do cancer registrars prepare?
- Trends over time or by disease site,
- Incidence or prevalence reports by disease site or class of patient,
- Comparative reports to evidence-based guidelines,
- Quality improvement studies,
- Productivity and efficiency reports,
- Tracking or monitoring reports for cancer program activities,
- Accreditation or regulatory compliance reports,
- Physician or leadership team data requests, or ad hoc reports.
If you are an individual who thrives on this type of work you may be well suited to a career as a cancer registrar. Explore other pages on this website to determine the best career pathway and to learn more about becoming a certified cancer registrar, or CTR.