Blog

The human body is comprised of 4 types of tissues. The four categories are as follows: epithelial, connective (including bone and blood cells), muscle, and nerve.  Epithelial tissues are protective and cover the outside of organs and/or line the inside of organs....

“You’ve got mail!”—a phrase that once symbolized the dawn of digital communication—helped pave the way for the technological advancements we enjoy today. However, no one could have predicted the overwhelming digital divide that these advancements would create. In a...

Cancer registrars rely on a wealth of manuals to ensure the accuracy and integrity of oncology data. These resources serve as essential tools for coding and classification, but their value extends beyond traditional use. By thinking creatively, registrars can leverage...

More than 18 million Americans have survived cancer as of January 1, 2022. For many, the journey to recovery continues long after treatment, often marked by challenges such as reduced physical function, increased fatigue, and a higher risk of recurrence. But did you...

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that requires urgent attention, yet many people aren’t fully aware of its dangers. To raise awareness and promote early detection, the Sepsis Alliance dedicates the entire month of September to educating both healthcare...

The Importance of Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) in Cardiac Registries In the realm of cardiac registries, data quality and accuracy are paramount. High-quality data not only drives better patient outcomes but also enhances the overall effectiveness of healthcare...

Stroke patients need specific discharge instructions to ensure they receive continuous medical care after leaving the hospital. This can help to reduce complications, readmissions, and improve outcomes. Per the AHA Get With The Guidelines Stroke guidelines, the...

Cardiac registries play a crucial role in modern healthcare systems, providing valuable data for monitoring and improving patient outcomes. Hospitals that effectively utilize and optimize their cardiac registry program performance can significantly impact the quality...

ACHF Certification from The Joint Commission, offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association, provides comprehensive guidance to develop and enhance an exceptional Heart Failure Program. Here’s why pursuing this certification is beneficial: Benefits of...

The terminology in breast cancer lymph node surgeries can be confusing and lead to miscoding of the Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery field, which in turn could negatively impact research on treatment efficacy and patient outcomes. It is imperative that cancer...

As healthcare professionals committed to providing the best care for breast cancer patients, it's crucial to stay informed about the latest guidelines and standards. Let’s explore the key changes and enhancements set forth by the National Accreditation Program for...

Who really knew what their parents did at their job growing up? All I knew was that my mom pushed a pedal on the floor, listened to a doctor talk and typed what they said. I have memories of hearing typing and hearing the very fast clickety clack of her keyboard. She...

Testicular cancer is the leading cancer in men ages 15-44, but can affect a man at any time in his life. Risk factors for developing testicular cancer are family history of testicular cancer, abnormal development of the testicles, and being of caucasian race. This...

Patient registries are very much like human beings and we strive for them to be “healthy.” Like watching a child grow from infancy to adulthood, a registry’s size (volume), knowledge base, interaction, and impact to the organization grow and evolve throughout its life...

Public Law 102-515, Cancer Registries Amendment Act (1992) requires all practitioners and facilities to collect and report cancer data on all patients diagnosed and/or treated for in situ and/or invasive cancers, as well as benign neoplasms of the central nervous...

In the United States alone, there were 48,183 deaths resulting from suicide, compared to an estimated 1,700,000 suicide attempts in 2021. Suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts is a growing issue and can have lasting impacts on millions of people and their...

The Surgical Diagnostic and Staging Procedure data field is most commonly assigned a code 02 for biopsy that obtains tissue of the primary site, as this is a direct way to identify the histologic type of cancer through a microscopic evaluation. But what about the less...

Timely cancer data is a powerful tool that can create meaningful changes to healthcare standards as well as add value to your cancer program. Best practices for hospital-based cancer registries recommend abstracting reporting cancer cases 4 to 6 months after the...

As a mother of school-aged children who love to spend time outside, information about drowning prevention piques my interest each summer. Earlier this spring, I read an article about the dangers of children wearing blue, or water-colored, bathing suits. I realized I...

Written By: Melissa Chapman RHIT, CTR I was invited to submit an abstract for the 49th Annual NCRA Educational Conference, which was held May 7-10, 2023, in San Diego, CA. “Abstracting difficult sites” was one of the many abstract subjects requested. Therefore, the...

Time is an equal opportunity provider. Everyone gets 24 hours in a day and we do not have the ability to slow it down or speed it up, even though at times it feels like the day is moving at a snail’s pace, and other times like it’s flying by. Stress is also inside...

Often during process improvement projects the team members become private investigators looking at the details, analyzing data, finding clues, and solving problems. This year at Registry Partners we developed a virtual escape room game so that all of our employees...

Picture a scenario when someone is asked to type or look up something on the computer and there is a person standing over their shoulder or watching them onscreen through a virtual meeting. The person typing tends to get nervous, makes a couple of typos, and then...

What makes our Mentoring Program unique are the Quality Consultants who provide a solid foundation for their mentees to learn, grow within their skills and become confident CTRs. Not only are our Consultants subject matter experts but they are fun, humble and kind...

It’s an interesting concept, keep your certification(s) you worked so hard for, which you don’t really utilize, and find a way to make it worthwhile and cost worthy to keep it. In my case, I worked so hard to obtain the RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician)...

It’s fun to compare things now versus a decade ago. American life has changed over the last 10 years. TV shows have increased in popularity over movies, we commonly look up an address using navigation or with a quick browser search, and music is streamed these days...

As we are gearing up to end the first quarter of 2023, responsibilities and deadlines are undoubtedly at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Everyone is feeling rushed, focused, and committed to putting their best foot forward to start the next quarter. As such, we may...

Each year the Georgia Tumor Registrars Association (GATR) has the Debra Fortier Memorial Scholarship. Participants are to write a 300-500 word article. This year the topic was "Mentoring has become an important part of the cancer registry profession. Have you ever had...

The Oncology CTR Internship Program celebrated its 2nd year in February, yielding remarkable success to date.  The CTR Internship Program has 3 main objectives: Help newly certified CTRs gain experience Build confidence and proficiency in case abstraction Become...

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a medical emergency that happens when the heart suddenly stops beating. Without quick action to revive the heart, a person can die in minutes. Recent data indicates that SCA claims a life every 90 seconds.  An out-of-hospital cardiac...

Cancer registrars are highly trained data specialists that capture a complete history, diagnosis, and treatment for every cancer patient. The data collected is valuable for research on prevention, screening, treatment, and overall survival for patients. According to...

Recent news has emerged on what looks to be a promising therapy for increasing outcomes and survival in patients with advanced stage melanoma: TIL (Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte) Therapy.  Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are immune cells (made up of both B and T...

How to plan and prepare for weight loss surgery. It's that time of year when millions of people make changes to better their health. For many, those changes include bariatric surgery. According to The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), there...

When you think about benefits offered by your employer, what comes to mind? Health insurance and paid time off? Tax advantages and free memberships? Either way, what’s important is that you take a closer look into these “benefits” so you don’t miss out on saving...

Many of us know what it feels like when we ignore our well-being. Our body or mind eventually forces us to shut down. Have you been skipping the water intake to get through a workout and you get injured? Or have you been working overtime without the rest your body...

According to the National Safety Council, 60,714 weather events resulted in 585 deaths and 1,708 injuries in 2020. This winter, many others will deal with weather-related traumatic injuries. Traumatic injuries require immediate medical attention and result from sudden...

February is American Heart Month and as Registry Partners Cardiac and Get With the Guidelines Client representative I wanted to highlight a few ways to care for your Heart. As we think about how we can care for our hearts and reduce our stress levels, here are a few...

A perspective from a Registry Partners Quality Consultants, Monica Reece, RHIT, CTR. Reggie Joiner said, “The power of listening could be key in how we resolve conflict.” Poor listening and communication skills between co-workers are one cause of workplace conflicts....

As we embark on the new year we tend to focus on new or renewed goals. From health and fitness to personal and career aspirations, we sometimes overlook the ‘not-so-obvious’ concerns that could be missed. While the thyroid might be a smaller gland, the issues that...

As we ring in a new year, filled with equal amounts of hopefulness and uncertainty, Registry Partners would like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you. While Thanksgiving and Christmas may be in the rearview mirror, for just a moment, let's hold on to...

Nineteen years ago, I found myself in a position that I would never have imagined before that day. The company I worked for filed for bankruptcy and I was forced to search for a new job. At the same time, my parents-in-law had just moved in with my family due to...

Healthcare Quality Week is about celebrating professionals improving healthcare quality and what better way to celebrate than to play a game for a chance at a prize. The game below, conducted remotely, helped us to see how instructions, perceived to be clear and...

December is the 12th month (and last month) in our modern-day Gregorian calendar (as it was in the preceding Julian calendar). However, it was originally the 10th month of the Roman calendar (until 153 BC). Hence, "December" comes from the Latin word decem, meaning...

Recently, the demand for remote work has been higher than ever. While some employees thrive immediately in a remote environment, others may struggle with the self-motivation and change in structure while working from home. Therefore, it’s essential to properly plan...

Unintentional injuries (accidents) are the leading cause of death in children in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 12,000 children ages 0-19 years old die each year in the US from an unintentional injury....

National Mentoring Day is a celebration of those who educate, inspire, and connect us towards our goals and positive change in our professional and personal journey. Those who mentor share their gifts of talent, time, patience, and guidance. They create a safe and...

Although we are very familiar with the work of CTRs here at Registry Partners, we recognize that not everyone understands what a Certified Tumor Registrar does on a daily basis! So, we were thrilled when OwlGuru.com asked our Quality Manager (and CTR) Jennifer Brown...

Peripheral arterial disease is a relatively common disease found in older Americans, affecting 1 in 20 Americans aged 50 years and older. PAD occurs when fat and cholesterol circulating in the blood, collect on the walls of your arteries. These fats and cholesterols...

Hurricane Ida devastated many parts of the United States and hit home for some of our Registry Partners team members.  Becky White, Senior Vice President for our Pediatric Service Line, a Registry Partners employee of 5 years, details her experience not just with Ida,...

As noted in the previous blog, Process Improvement-What makes a good business GREAT!, process improvement is the action of enhancing processes to reach a better outcome. To perform those “actions,” one needs tools, and there are many to choose from. I, Stacy Gehm RN,...

Throughout its history, Registry Partners has continually strived to develop and enrich all of its employees through committed education and training. Now, with a growing roster of dynamic and devoted professionals, the need to dedicate a special team to this has led...

There are around 300,000 children in the US with some form of arthritis. Many people think of arthritis as an adult or elderly condition. July has been named Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month with the goal of raising awareness that kids can have arthritis too.  The...

With the widespread implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), the possibility of remote work became an option for CTRs. However, many facilities remained hesitant to allow remote work. In 2020, many companies across all industries were forced to allow staff...

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has released a new bariatric surgical risk/benefit calculator tool for metabolic and bariatric surgeons to begin using to help guide surgical decision making when patients are seeking weight loss surgery to improve health by...