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Recruitment and Retention of Tumor Registrars: the Missouri experience

Recruitment and Retention of Tumor Registrars: the Missouri experience. J. Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD Sue Vest, BA, CTR Missouri Cancer Registry, University of Missouri, Columbia. Missouri Cancer Registry.

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Recruitment and Retention of Tumor Registrars: the Missouri experience

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  1. Recruitment and Retention of Tumor Registrars:the Missouri experience J. Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD Sue Vest, BA, CTR Missouri Cancer Registry, University of Missouri, Columbia

  2. Missouri Cancer Registry A collaborative partnership between the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) and the University of Missouri - Columbia (MU); Supported by CDC/NPCR Cooperative Agreement #U55/CCU721904-04 and a contract between the University of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

  3. Acknowledgments • Sue Vest, CTR, MCR Project Manager • Othr MCR operations staff • Nancy Cole, CTR & Audra Herkelman (MCR) • Reporting facility staff • Centers for Disease Prevention & Control National Program of Cancer Registries (CDC/NPCR)

  4. Objectives • Brief history of Missouri Cancer Registry (MCR); • Introduce MCR operations staff; • Identify some ways MCR has successfully dealt with recruitment & retention; and • Outline some challenges still to be faced.

  5. MCR Gold Celebration 2005

  6. History of MCR • Historical: 1972 - voluntary agreement • State mandate – 1984, implemented ‘85 • Received NPCR funding - 1995 • Reference year - 1996 • Expanded reporting – 1999 • 192.650 – 192.657 RSMo • NAACCR certification – 1998 dx. year • NPCR quality indicators – ongoing ↑

  7. MCR Database • 36,000 – 40,000 records per year • 28,000 unduplicated MO cases per year • >300,000 unduplicated Missouri cases • 1996 and later • Historical database - > 300,000 records • 1995 and earlier

  8. Challenges We All Face • Timeliness: 90% at 12 months; 95% at 24 months • Completeness: • ≥ 95% of expected cases • Treatment • Accuracy: • Pass edits: 100% • Missing/unknown data elements: ranges from 2% - 3% • Race, sex, age, county of residence • Death certificate only (DCE) cases ≤ 3%

  9. Additional challenges many registries had (or still have) • Early 1996: • Outdated hardware & software • Non-standard data elements & layout • Non-competitive salaries • Outdated job specifications (pre-electronic) • Too few staff • Limited education & training opportunities • Difficulty retaining staff

  10. 1996 Assess the Situation

  11. Need: Meet NPCR requirements • Timeliness, completeness and quality • Expanded cancer reporting statute • Case-sharing agreements • Advisory Board • Data in standard NAACCR layout • Collect required & recommended data elements

  12. First Steps (Right off the Bat) • Increase NPCR funding • Upgrade hardware & buy commercial software • Hire more CTRs • Rewrite job specs to reflect responsibilities • Obtain permission to hire at top of pay scale • Make working for MCR desirable • Appoint Advisory Board • Obtain case-sharing agreements

  13. More Early Steps (Line Drives) • Improve relationships with reporting facilities • From “There’s a law - our way or the highway” to “Partners for better patient outcomes” • Provide service to reporting facilities • Offer training for hospital registry staff • Go to bat for hospital CTRs – talk to administrators • Develop a constituency

  14. Meet the Challenges … And what do you get? More Challenges!

  15. 1999 (Extra base hit) • Additional CTR positions funded by NPCR • No FTEs available • Revise plan • Strengthen existing external relationship • Decrease state government – eliminate FTEs • Outsource Operations! • Overnight, MCR operations staff became University staff

  16. Next Steps (Home run) • Impact of outsourcing • Greater flexibility in creating and filling positions • More understanding of need to maintain competitive salaries, retain staff • Obtained NAACCR certification • Met most NPCR requirements

  17. How? (Home run #2) • Flexible schedules for staff • Adjust hours to meet MCR staff needs • Added benefit – improved service to reporting facilities • Allow telecommuting, working off-site • Find a good CTR, don’t let distance/circumstances be an issue • Set standards • Must be CTR or CTR-eligible to be cancer data coordinator • If can’t find one, be creative – Health Program Assistant

  18. Other Avenues (to the playoffs) • Increase training opportunities • Send all MCR staff to training of their choice • Develop/improve training for hospital registrars • Encourage staff to take advantage of tuition reimbursement • Restructure operations to meet registry & staff needs

  19. Further avenues (world series) • Promote from within • Annual salary increases • Encourage staff to • Reach for the stars/achieve their dreams • Submit abstracts to NAACCR/make presentations • Get involved in research proposals • Build a winning team

  20. In Their Own Words

  21. Database Management Unit Saba Yemane, BS Database Administrator Iris Zachary, BS, CTR Assistant Database Administrator

  22. Quality Assurance Unit - Electronic Cate Ellis, CTR, BSN Cancer Data Coordinator Deb Smith, CTR Senior Cancer Registrar

  23. Quality Assurance Unit – Manual and Circuit-riding Keri Grier Health Program Assistant Brenda Lee, CTR Senior Cancer Registrar

  24. Audit Unit Debbie Douglas, CTR Senior Cancer Registrar

  25. Non-hospital Unit Nancy Cole, CTR Senior Cancer Registrar Debra Eccleston Health Program Assistant

  26. Administration Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD, Operations Director Sue Vest, CTR Project Manager

  27. Surveillance, Research and Special Projects Unit Gentry White, BA, BS, MA, PhD Candidate Research Assistant Gonza Namulanda, MS Research Assistant

  28. Audra Our Office Support Staff

  29. Challenges Still to be Faced • Hospital pay scales outstripping MCR pay scales • Department & University HR supportive • Change from exempt to hourly for CTRs • Need for additional positions • Restrictions placed on contract

  30. Staff Frustrations & Wishes • More staff in QA, Non-hospital and Audit units • Salary commensurate with responsibilities, training & expertise • Space • Two bureaucracies – MU & DHSS • Lack of knowledge about registry operations • Lack of support • Not enough time

  31. Where are we now?

  32. Dx Year 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Age Sex Race Co. 0.00 0.00 0.47 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.40 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.32 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.22 0.02 NPCR Quality Indicators

  33. Can we stop here? • Overall completeness exceeds 95% at 24 months • Completeness estimates vary • By race and sex • By site

  34. The Future • Electronic reporting capabilities • Increased information on web site • More non-hospital reporting • More use of database for research

  35. Research • Trends • Incidence • Stage at Dx • Treatment • Age, sex, race/ethnicity • Public health practice • Outcomes

  36. Contact Information Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD Operations Director, Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Assistant Professor, Health Management & Informatics, University of Missouri-Columbia Phone – 573 882-7775 Toll-free for reporting facilities – 1 800 292-2829 E-mail – jacksonthompsonj@health.missouri.edu MCR website: http://mcr.umh.edu

  37. MCR Gold Celebration 2005

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