Advancing cancer care together: Inside Allegheny Health Network's award-winning oncology registry team

The Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Oncology Registry Team has been recognized as the 2026 Oncology Data Specialist Team of the Year for their exceptional collaboration and dedication to foster a robust and successful registry program.

How collaboration led to successful integration

One of this team's most significant accomplishments has been the success in bringing multiple facilities into one cohesive registry system, which required extensive coordination, patience, and a willingness to adapt to new processes, workflows, and expectations.

Each facility has its own intricacies, and the team worked through the differences and learned the nuances of each location to create a unified workflow that over time was an even more efficient oncology data management system. One important factor that contributed to this integration was the supportive work environment within AHN. Stacey Shipley, the ODS department manager, stated that "we have created a welcoming and supportive work environment build on trust and open communication. Our team feels valued and respected, which strengthens collaboration and makes up more effective as a team."

“We have created a welcoming and supportive work environment built on trust and open communication. Our team feels valued and respected, which strengthens collaboration and makes us more effective as a team”

The mutual respect between the members of the AHN registry team is palpable as they express the impact of consistently supporting one another through challenges on difficult cases, unfamiliar treatments, and adjustments during integration. Cancer registry is an evolving landscape, and each year they see changes in new codes, standards, and treatment approaches. The AHN Oncology Registry Team has embraced a culture of adaptability and ongoing growth as a unit.

A major contributor to the group’s collaborative work environment is the leadership of Stacey Shipley. With years of experience working as an oncology data specialist, Stacey understands the complexity and nuances of cancer registry. She has created a workplace prioritizing open communication, trust, and teamwork. Stacey’s leadership does more than manage a department; it strengthens the entire foundation of the department. One team member, Jennifer Thomas, mentioned that having a leader “who listens and advocates for us truly makes this such a welcoming and supportive work environment.”

METRIQ has been a key enabler of the AHN Oncology Registry Team’s collective effort and growth. By allowing cases and follow-up to be shared across facilities, the platform has helped streamline their workflow, which increases visibility across the network. Instead of relying on more cumbersome methods such as email chains or sharing files manually, the registry staff could work from a centralized system that allows multifacility coordination in real time. Stacey Shipley stated that “METRIQ fosters collaboration by providing a centralized workspace for multiple facilities to easily access case information. It allows cases and follow-up to be shared across facilities, making it easier to collaborate and support one another.” Team members also noted that METRIQ made onboarding new staff easier, enabling a more seamless transition with proper alignment as AHN moved toward a cohesive registry structure.

“METRIQ fosters collaboration by providing a centralized workspace for multiple facilities to easily access case information. It allows cases and follow-up to be shared across facilities, making it easier to collaborate and support one another.”

This team's effort to enhance cancer care at AHN

The AHN registry team has impacted a variety of meaningful initiatives across the organization. Physicians reach out to the registry staff often for information to help answer clinical questions; their registry data has been used in local and national research studies as well as playing an essential role for AHN’s CoC accreditations.

These examples reflect the true value of registry work: it is not just about documenting cases, but about creating reliable information that can guide physician decisions, enhance patient care, and improve our collective understanding of cancer.

When asked what they are most proud of, the AHN Oncology Registry Department did not focus on one person or one project. Instead, their pride centers on the collective effort towards ensuring the data behind cancer care is accurate, useable, and contributing towards meaningful improvements. One team member named Jody Brown said that “it is an honor to be able to work for an incredible boss, an amazing registry team, and dedicated oncology staff throughout Allegheny Health Network in hopes to make a difference for our patients and their families.”

This group is being recognized as the ODS Team of the Year not only for what they have accomplished: vast contributions to physicians, researchers, and a successful integration to one cohesive network, but also how they accomplish this: through trust, adaptability, mutual respect, and commitment towards lifting each other up. The department has built a culture that supports excellence, strengthens collaboration, and is helping advance cancer care for AHN patients as well as around the country.

“It is an honor to be able to work for an incredible boss, an amazing registry team, and dedicated oncology staff throughout Allegheny Health Network in hopes to make a difference for our patients and their families.”