UAMS Offers State’s First Program to Train Cancer Registrars
| LITTLE ROCK – The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has the state’s first program for certified tumor registrars – allied health professionals who collect and analyze information about cancer patients for treatment and research purposes.
The Department of Health Information Management (HIM) in the UAMS College of Health Related Professions began the program this fall as an optional component of its Associate of Science degree in medical record technology. The Arkansas Cancer Research Center (ACRC) at UAMS is one of the clinical sites where students get hands-on experience.
“Certified tumor registrars are data experts and valuable resources for cancer information whose work impacts cancer control efforts and supports cancer research,” said Kathy C. Trawick, Ed.D., R.H.I.A., associate professor and department chairman. “Cancer registrars identify cancer patients at the time of their diagnoses and track them for the rest of their lives. They collect demographical information; diagnostic tests and their results; specific cancer information, such as the type of cancer, the tumor site and the extent of the disease; and treatments and their outcomes. They are responsible for assuring accuracy, completeness and timely reporting, as well as maintaining confidentiality of patient information.
“Certified tumor registrars have a place in several types of health care settings. The need for qualified cancer registrars in both hospital and state tumor registries is increasing. There is also tremendous potential for growth of this profession in government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, insurance agencies and other health care industries,” Trawick said.
UAMS’ two-year associate’s degree program in medical record technology requires 23 semester credits of general education at a regionally accredited college or university and 45 semester credits of professional education at UAMS. After students successfully complete this coursework, they may take the national certification examination of the American Health Information Management Association. Once they pass this exam, they receive the credential of registered health information technician.
Students can take the 10 semester credits in the cancer registry program at the same time they take the courses required for the associate’s degree or afterward. In addition to three classroom courses, the cancer registry coursework involves professional practice in three hospital-based tumor registries – those at ACRC, the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and St. Vincent’s Infirmary Medical Center – and in the Arkansas Cancer Registry. After earning these 10 credits, they are eligible to take the certification exam of the National Cancer Registry Association (NCRA) to receive the credential of certified tumor registrar.
“Starting in the fall of 2004, the cancer registry classroom courses will be available through our distance learning program just like our associate’s degree courses are,” Trawick said. “This will make it easier for students outside central Arkansas to take the courses in or near their hometowns. We are also working on obtaining NCRA accreditation for our program, which would make us one of only 13 NCRA-accredited cancer registry programs in the country.”
For more information, call (501) 296-1059 or visit www.uams.edu/chrp.