[Hiring] Medical Records Technician (Lead Cancer Registrar) @VA Maryland Health Care System

Role Description

The Cancer Registrar is directly accountable to the Baltimore VA Nurse manager of the Radiation Oncology Clinical Care Center (ROCCC) or other supervisor who provides clinical and administrative supervision and general instruction. The incumbent is the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) and/or Cancer Conference Coordinator to the Cancer Committee in the general medical and surgical center.

Responsibilities

• Tumor Registry Coordinator
• DATA COLLECTION
  • Develop procedures to identify all cases of malignant disease from the departments of the medical center and outpatient clinics where patients are diagnosed and treated.
  • Audits the medical records' disease indexes on a biannual basis.
  • Obtaining core information from the patient's medical records including demographic characteristics, history of cancer, diagnostic procedures, diagnosis, extent of disease and staging, and treatment.
• DATA MANAGEMENT
  • Maintains the confidentiality and security of patient data stored in the tumor registry computer files.
  • Develops and completes quality control of case finding, abstracting, coding of follow-up information and processing procedures.
  • Organizes work, sets priorities, and delegates tasks/responsibilities.
  • Completes the necessary forms for collection, processing and analysis of data.
  • Knowledge of neoplastic disease process, cancer staging systems, biologic and molecular prognostic indicators to determine derived stage.
  • Knowledge of reportable disease, surveillance, epidemiology and end results program, cancer staging systems, multiple primary and histology rules, international classification of disease for oncology, morphology and topography, cancer treatment modalities, and data requirements.
  • Ability to operate computerized programs to review documentation within the electronic medical record and cancer registry software.
  • Utilizes the electronic health record to identify and abstract/code the required data elements.
  • Conducts lifetime follow-up on patients, documenting the progression recurrence of their disease and other required elements.
  • Organizes and maintains a data system that will conform to the highest standard of tumor registry operation and meet the needs of users of the registry data in accordance with the guidelines established by the American College of Surgeons Cancer Program.
• DATA RETRIEVAL AND ANALYSIS
  • Formulates procedures for manual and/or computer retrieval of tumor registry data.
  • Develops, organizes, implements, and maintains an accurate system to identify all reportable diagnoses.
  • Assembles and disseminates data collected by the tumor registry, including collection and preparation of routine and special statistical reports which summarize the cancer experience of this medical center.
  • Provides statistical data to the state central registry fulfilling all state registry regulations and requirements in compliance with VA regulations and federal law.
  • Assists clinicians and research on cancer-related studies and research projects by providing data.

Qualifications

• Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with [38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).]
• Experience:
  • One year of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record. Six months of the required one year of experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT work.
  • OR Two years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours directly related to MRT work (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and introduction to health records).
  • OR Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

Requirements

• Knowledge of current medical record technology and professional registry operations.
• Natural history of cancers including knowledge of cell types associated with various types of cancer and procedures for identifying neoplasms.
• Anatomy and physiology as well as medical terminology, common acronyms, and symbols.
• Tumor nomenclature and classifications; be able to code topography, morphology, and register tumor cases.
• Descriptive statistics and end results reporting.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• After 60 days of employment, full-time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Telework: Available.
• This is a virtual position.

Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

English Language Proficiency

MRT (Cancer Registrar) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).