A 488-bed multi-site hospital with leading edge cancer program finds ACoS compliance and easier patient follow-up with Elekta Software Cancer Registry System. Challenge: To improve cancer program compliance with cancer patient follow-up. Solution: Integrated the hospital’s, radiation oncology delivery system and Elekta Software’s Radiation Oncology EMR with Elekta Software’s Cancer Registry system, which offers registrars real-time SSDI database updates during abstracting and follow-up. Results: Maintained American College of Surgeons (ACoS) accreditation annually; maintaining a 90 – 94% follow-up rate.

The only full-service community hospital in the region, Baton Rouge General Medical Center’s Pennington Cancer Center provides the most comprehensive and advanced cancer treatment and research program including inpatient, outpatient, surgical, radiation and medical oncology services.

With over 1100 cases accessioned annually, Baton Rouge General’s three cancer registrars have a full workload. Thankfully, the Pennington Cancer Center is outfitted with integrated Elekta Software products that help interrelated workflows run more smoothly and efficiently so registrars can focus on quality abstracting and analysis.

No wonder Linda Lee, CTR, Manager of Cancer Data Services, finds Elekta Software Cancer Registry System to be an excellent solution to her registry’s follow-up challenges.

Elekta Software Automation Provides SSDI Database Updates and Standard Templates for Easier Patient Follow-up

A significant part of the cancer registry abstracting workload is to follow patients’ responses to treatment. Registrars typically determine patient status at yearly intervals and regularly communicate with physicians to validate current disease status and any treatment updates.

When registrars proactively contact patients and physicians, it can be time-consuming to learn that some of the patients are in fact already listed in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), which documents deceased patients and follow-up is no longer necessary.

The Elekta Software Cancer Registry System, however, helps registrars identify such patient names before investing time in doing their own similar research. Impac Software’s SSDI feature provides cancer registries with updated SSDI information from within the abstract. That functionality allows registrars to check the SSDI updates upon entry of new or follow-up abstracts to confirm which patients no longer require further contact.

When registrars require further contact, “The Elekta Software Cancer Registry system generates customizable follow-up letters and all we have to do is mail them, which is easy and efficient,” explains Lee. They create multiple letters to address a wide array of situations and can even create letters for individual physician preference.

Lee goes on to say, “Elekta Software also speeds communication with our physicians. When we need information about first course of treatment or other treatments that patients received, my staff will send the physicians a customized letter from Elekta Software Cancer Registry System. ACoS has made this issue very important to registrars in the past two years, with the CP3R and e-QuIP studies.” In fact, Lee and her staff currently enjoy a 90 – 94% follow-up rate.

Value-added Results Bring Efficiency and Retain ACoS Accreditation

As the first local cancer program to receive ACoS accreditation in 1989, Pennington Cancer Center proudly maintains accreditation each year, demonstrating continuous improvements and a commitment to quality cancer care.

The efficiency and easy case transmittal offered by Elekta Software Cancer Registry System empower Lee and her team to contribute to the measures necessary for continued accreditation. “I believe that Elekta Software Cancer Registry System allows you to abstract much faster and to do more abstracts daily. And producing a report that would have taken hours, now only takes a minute.” Lee adds that, “Elekta Software Cancer Registry System was in place when I arrived at this facility. They asked if I would like to change the software, but honestly I have not seen a better product. If anything, I hope to add Elekta Software’s MOSAIQ® Connect to our configuration. I have worked at many facilities while performing contract abstracting, and the Elekta Software Cancer Registry System, in my opinion, is by far the most user-friendly on the market.”

Site Snapshot

Location:

Baton Rouge, LA

Center Type:

Community Hospital

No. of Locations:

2

Clinical with Elekta Software:

Over 10 years

Staff:

3 CTRs

Patient Volume / day:

1100 Cases Accessioned Annually

Equipment:

Elekta Software Cancer Registry System runs on 3 workstations with remote access
Elekta Software Oncology EMR for Radiation Oncology used by Radiation Oncology Center