While cancer research and clinical trials often grab headlines, there小蝌蚪APP檚 an important but lesser-known group of people who manage the data behind those breakthroughs: cancer registrars.
Lea Guidry, director of the Acadiana Tumor Registry, says cancer registrars collect, analyze, and report cancer data to support research, treatment, and prevention efforts.
小蝌蚪APP淐ancer registrars are data information specialists,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淲e capture a patient小蝌蚪APP檚 complete history, from diagnosis through treatment. Then, we share that data with researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials.小蝌蚪APP
Every advance in cancer treatment begins with the data collected by cancer registrars at the regional level.
小蝌蚪APP淥ur mission is to collect and report complete, high-quality, population-based cancer data in Louisiana,小蝌蚪APP Guidry continues. 小蝌蚪APP淭his data supports cancer research, control, and prevention.小蝌蚪APP
But as experienced registrars retire, the need for new professionals is escalating.
The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 online cancer registry management certificate program prepares students to thrive in this critical field and pursue the , a key credential for professional competence as a cancer registrar.
Lea Guidry: Three Decades in Cancer Registry
Guidry has been a leader in cancer registry for over 34 years. After earning her health sciences degree at UL Lafayette in 1992, she was offered a cancer registry position and has been in the field ever since.
Throughout that time, she小蝌蚪APP檚 seen the field evolve, and the demand for qualified registrars has never been greater.
小蝌蚪APP淭he registrars, like me, have been doing this for decades, but we小蝌蚪APP檙e not going to be around forever. We小蝌蚪APP檙e going to retire eventually,小蝌蚪APP Guidry says. 小蝌蚪APP淏ecause of that, the job demand is very high.小蝌蚪APP
Without sufficient staff to collect and analyze cancer data, this shortage poses a significant challenge for healthcare organizations.
小蝌蚪APP淭here aren小蝌蚪APP檛 many cancer registrars because not many people know who we are and what we do,小蝌蚪APP says Guidry.
小蝌蚪APP淣o one thinks about the question: If there小蝌蚪APP檚 a cure for cancer, how do they find that? It小蝌蚪APP檚 through the important data that cancer registrars collect.小蝌蚪APP
This data collection isn小蝌蚪APP檛 just important 小蝌蚪APP it小蝌蚪APP檚 required. Louisiana law (R.S. 40:1105.10) mandates that healthcare facilities and providers report every cancer case they diagnose or treat to registries.
To meet this directive, many institutions turn to cancer abstracting companies, which hire registrars to collect and analyze cancer data, often remotely.
小蝌蚪APP淐ancer abstracting companies work with facilities that don小蝌蚪APP檛 have in-house registries,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淭hese companies hire registrars to abstract cancer cases from home, and they小蝌蚪APP檙e paid very well for their expertise.小蝌蚪APP
With growing demand and the flexibility of remote work, cancer registry has become an increasingly attractive career. For professionals like Courtney Jagneaux, the ability to work remotely has been a key factor in thriving in the field.
Courtney Jagneaux: Climbing Cancer Registry Ranks
After earning a health sciences degree from UL Lafayette in 2009, Jagneaux began her career as a cancer registrar at Lafayette General Hospital小蝌蚪APP檚 cancer center, now the Ochsner Cancer Center of Acadiana.
Today, she works as an oncology registry solutions advisor at Registry Partners, helping clients find solutions to their needs while navigating the complexities of cancer registry reporting and accreditation requirements.
小蝌蚪APP淏eing a cancer registrar isn小蝌蚪APP檛 just about abstracting data all day. There are so many components that come together to drive cancer registry management,小蝌蚪APP she says.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou could go into roles like quality assurance, project management, accreditation consulting, clinical research, data analytics and even oncology administration.小蝌蚪APP
For Jagneaux, the opportunity to contribute to cancer research is what makes the work so meaningful.
小蝌蚪APP淭o know where we're going, we have to know where we've been,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淨uality cancer data is essential for ensuring quality care and improving patient outcomes. The cancer care patients receive today is directly shaped by the data collected through cancer registries.小蝌蚪APP
The Growing Demand for Cancer Registrars
Cancer registry is the backbone of cancer research and treatment. Without it, breakthroughs would be impossible.
The demand for skilled cancer registrars is growing fast, and with that comes a wealth of career opportunities. Now is the perfect time to step into this critical role.
Are you ready to make an impact? Get the knowledge and skills you need to succeed with a certificate in cancer registry management from UL Lafayette Online.
