"It's very easy to enter the information, but if you don't gain anything from it, it makes it kind of useless." --Deanna Derdelinghen, CTR

Deanna Derdelinghen, CTR, didn't know about cancer registry until her family was touched by the disease. Now, as cancer registry manager at Stamford (CT) Hospital, she keeps the top-notch facility up-to-date on cancer treatment and helps other programs earn accreditation for quality care.

"I'm happy to work in the field because I find it very rewarding," she said. "The information we're collecting and the work that we're doing is ultimately going to help survival and improve care."

Derdelinghen was always interested in health care. She went to school for nursing and ultrasound, but switched to medical records when she realized her calling was more information and less hands-on. A combination of self-interest and curiosity brought her to cancer registry; she stumbled upon the program while looking for answers regarding her family members' diagnoses. "I found out there was a place where this information was collected, and it became very interesting to me," she said.

After earning her CTR, Derdelinghen quickly worked up the ranks, landing a management position at Stamford Hospital after helping the facility with a survey project on a consultant basis. Cancer treatment is one of Stamford Hospital's signature services, and as an accredited facility with commendation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), it has a reputation to uphold. Staying on top isn't easy.

"The toughest part is just keeping up," Derdelinghen said. "In the registry, specifically, there are a lot of changes that take place, [in addition to] being able to get your abstracting information done in a timely fashion."

With 2010 fast approaching, registries are preparing for a slew of change. Aside from new procedures and treatments, there are new staging requirements, an updated version of collaborative staging and hematopoietic rule changes. It's a lot to take on, but Derdelinghen is eager to see the results. "I think it's always great to know more," she said. "There are always questions you'll have as you continue to learn about the disease processes and the way different cancers react to different treatments."

The questions are bound to get more complex, especially as cancer research turns to genetics. Registries will need to collect additional data to satisfy those studies, and that means more opportunities in the field. "It's becoming very exciting right now," Derdelinghen said.

Change will likely bring challenges, but Derdelinghen has a record of success. Besides maintaining accreditation and commendation by the CoC, Stamford Hospital was recently named the first facility to earn approval from the American College of Surgeons National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. Breast cancer is a primary focus at Stamford, so staff was proud to earn the recognition. Derdelinghen followed that up with personal victory, being selected Cancer Registrar of the Year by a registry software vendor.

When she's not working on Stamford's registry, Derdelinghen helps other facilities aiming for accreditation. As a CoC-trained consultant, she guides programs through the application and information-gathering process, then releases them for survey. Derdelinghen is also a member of the National Cancer Registrars Association and its local chapters.

Her advice for recent graduates? Get involved. New registrars often stick to their traditional duties, Derdelinghen said, but she urges them to explore other parts of the cancer program. "It's important to have an open mind and be willing to learn a lot of things," she advised.

Besides abstracting, registrars can assist the accreditation process, attend cancer meetings and participate in quality improvement initiatives. There are plenty of options, Derdelinghen said, so whatever you choose, make the most of it. "It's very easy to enter the information, but if you don't gain anything from it, it makes it kind of useless," she said. "So it's always good to ask and learn about it."

Cheryl McEvoy is an assistant editor with ADVANCE.

Communicating With Physicians
As part of her job as cancer registry manager, Derdelinghen meets regularly with physicians and other cancer program staff. In our audiocast below, she explains how to earn respect and establish strong relationships with physicians.