The 45th Annual Cancer Registrars Association of New England held its Annual Regional Educational Conference, appropriately themed “Remaining Steadfast Through Change”, September 16-17, 2019 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, RI.
Sessions included topics such as, “coding pitfalls”, updates to the Solid Tumor Rules and site-specific coding and staging. Registry Partner’s own part-time CTR, Nancy Lebrun, BS, CTR, director of cancer information systems for the Rhode Island Cancer Registry (RICR) presented on the functions of the central registry and the importance of text documentation and how it is used at the State level to verify coded items.
CoC & NAPBC surveyor Peter Hopewood, MD, FACS, presented on the much anticipated “Changes to the CoC Standards”. Attendees learned about the Cancer Committee membership changes for 2020 which include:
- One member will be able to fulfill 2 coordinator positions
- The Cancer Liaison Physician (CLP) will serve as alternate to the committee chair
- The addition of a Survivorship Program Coordinator
And the standards that will be phased-in to include:
- Standards 5.4-5.9, which will require synoptic operative and pathology reports based on the requirements of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery Manual (OSCS).
- Standard 4.9 which will require an annual Survivorship Program report to the Cancer Committee by the Survivorship Program Coordinator. The annual report will include an estimate of the number of patients who participated in 3 services of the survivorship care program. Survivorship care plans will no longer be required but can be part of the program’s services.
- Standard 4.3 which will require oncology nurses to hold oncology nursing certification or documentation of progress toward certification or document 12 cancer-related CEUs annually.
Registry Partners had the privilege of participating as a vendor sponsor, and to provide attendees with its latest Registry Partners Desktop Reference, which was very well-received. Registry Partners was thrilled to be able to present one lucky raffle winner, Pam Manzolini, with a generous Visa gift card. Congratulations, Pam!
