269209 Innovations in information technology: Achieving increased cancer incidence reporting through use of electronic health records (EHRs)

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM

Alena Headd, MSIT , Dept. of Health Management & Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center, Columbia, MO
Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD , Health Management & Informatics, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO
Iris Zachary, MS, CTR , Missouri Cancer Registry, Dept. of Health Management & Informatics and Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
  
     
Background: Changes in medical practice and health care delivery have led to growing numbers of various cancer sites/types being diagnosed/treated outside the hospital setting. Central cancer registries (CCRs) and mandated non-hospital reporters have struggled to identify cost-effective ways these cases can be captured and reported as required by law. The electronic health record (EHR) offers such an opportunity. The Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center (MCR-ARC) is one of two CCRs participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries awarded American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to improve cancer reporting by streaming data directly from EHRs to the CCR. Initially (12/10), we focused solely on clinics/physician offices; by early 2011, we began to consider rural Critical Access hospitals (CAHs) without cancer registries.

Purpose: To describe processes and challenges associated with streamlined reporting to central cancer registries through use of EHRs.

Methods: We initially recruited one large multi-specialty clinic with smaller satellite clinics. We conducted several site visits with ambulatory clinics and CAHs identified by the Missouri Health Information Technology (MO HIT) Assistance Center and recruited them to participate in the project. We worked with other state and national organizations to identify and recruit specialty clinics and assessed options for software that allows for secure messaging transfer of encrypted data over the internet. We identified and worked with facilities' EHR vendors and CDC software developers to export files, develop interfaces and import, store and process data.

Results: After obtaining test files and selecting secure messaging transfer software, we began to import electronic EHR data in March 2012. Some clinics/physician offices and CAHs are now routinely transmitting cancer data to the CCR. Work is ongoing; additional results (e.g., facilities reporting via an EHR, vendor software, interface and interoperability challenges, etc.) will be reported.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Communication and informatics
Public health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss why use of electronic health records (EHRs) can improve reporting of cancer cases to a central cancer registry (CCR). 2. Describe two or more challenges facing CCRs as they strive to implement EHR reporting.

Keywords: Public Health Informatics, Disease Data

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a Master's degree in Information Technology, am employed at the Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center and am responsible for work described in the abstract I have submitted.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4316.1: HIIT Innovation Part 2