TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Summer 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

President’s Corner Dee Moncada

TxTRA President 2015-2016

President’s Corner

Annual Business Meeting

Notification

Membership Update

New CTR’s

Education Committee

CTR Exam Scholarship

Shelley Jordan Memorial

Conference Scholarship

Application

TCR Liaison

NCRA Update

TxTRA Annual Conference

Officers & Committee

Members 2015-2016

Mission & Vision

Bridging the Gap….

So many times we wonder, what is my purpose for joining the Association, what is my role, who do I ask…what can I do?

My goal this year was to get input from the membership to get solutions to those and other questions above. There seems to be disconnection with the Association and the Board which needs to be addressed.

We get into our own world and forget there are many sources within the organization that we can utilize to reach out to others, not only for help, but for ideas, suggestions, and/or recommendations.

It’s that GAP that we have between us that we need to fill … so I am asking you, the Membership, to please take time to participate in the survey you will be receiving which will help us address some of your concerns. Be on the lookout for your chance to help us move forward this coming year and close some of those gaps. You will receive an e-mail link to the survey when it becomes available.

Annual Business Meeting Notification

Who: All members eligible to vote are asked to attend

When: Thursday, August 25, 2016, 7:00 a.m.

Where: Sheraton Hall Hotel Conference Center

400 North Olive Street

Dallas, TX 75201

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Dee Moncada at: president@txtra.org.

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Nominations for TxTRA officers has closed. Members should have received their ballots via email. Please submit your vote by July 29th.

Membership Update Vicki Holmes, RHIT, CTR

TxTRA currently has 183 members.

We are pleased to welcome these new members:

Cleveland Sigh

Julie Bignell Elena Lykins Rhiannon Soto

Ambir Byrd Elizabeth Matthews Carla Taylor

Jill Edelman Sherry McAllister Akshata Vankalapati

Tracy Faust Tracy Potter

Jennifer Janise

We were not able to get a list of new CTR’s from NCRA for this newsletter. We look

forward to recognizing each of you at our annual conference.

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Education Committee Cynthia Carlisle, RHIT, CTR, 2015-2016 Chair

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all are doing well this summer.

We were fortunate to have the following members volunteer to be on our Education Committee this

year. Thank you all for volunteering.

Valerie Vesich, RHIT, CTR (Past Chair) Alejandra Madrigales, MS-MAS, CTR

Kay Crawford, CTR Heidi Noell, RHIT, CTR

Corie Denerstein Bonnie Valdez, CTR

Jennifer Harris, CTR

Announcing AJCC Disease Sites Webinars The AJCC is proud to announce 5 disease site webinars this summer and early fall. The AJCC Disease Site webinars are designed to provide highlights of the five most common site chapters for AJCC 7th edition staging. The diseases featured are: Melanoma, Lung, Breast, Colorectum, and Prostate. There will be pre- and post-education quizzes to serve as a self-assessment for the information learned. The webinars will provide information on the uniqueness, differences, exceptions, or special concerns for the disease sites.

Each lecture will contain the following topics

Overview and Learning Objectives

Anatomy Affecting Stage

Classification Issues

Assigning T, N, M, Stage Group Information & Questions on AJCC Staging and Summary

*No continuing education (CE) hours will be provided.

The first live webinar (Melanoma) will occur on July 27th. This will be recorded for anyone that is not able to

attend the live session. You can visit the AJCC to learn more about the Disease Sites webinars and stay informed.

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Education (cont.)

2016 CTR Testing Dates:

October 15 – November 5 Application deadline = September 16 Testing window will be 3 weeks long.

CTR Exam Scholarships for TXTRA Members TXTRA members who may be taking the exam in 2016, please take note that TXTRA is offering scholarship opportunities. The scholarship is intended to benefit TXTRA members who contribute to the data collection efforts for Texas residents. Must be a TXTRA member for at least one (1) year in good standing; and must not have previously received TXTRA funds For the exam. Please see the CTR Scholarship Application for full details at http://www.txtra.org/members/ctr-exam-scholarship/.

Please email the completed and signed application to the TXTRA Education Chairperson at cynthiacarlisle0@gmail.com.

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Shelley Jordan Memorial

Conference Scholarship

2016 Application

Due: Sunday, July 31, 2016

History: The Shelley Jordan Memorial Conference Scholarship will be offered again in 2016 in memory

of longtime TxTRA member Shelley Jordan who lost her life in May of 2014. Purpose: Provide financial support to a TxTRA member(s) with no available funding to attend TxTRA’s Annual

Educational Conference August 24 –26, 2016 in Dallas, TX. Award: The scholarship covers the conference registration fee. The recipient may request funding for

transportation or lodging cost. Total funding will be limited to actual expenses and will not exceed $500 including registration and all fees. Receipts must be provided for covered expenses. Scholarship recipients are not eligible to apply again for five years.

Eligibility Requirements: · Applicants must be active TxTRA members in good standing for at least one continuous year AND during

the year in which the scholarship is awarded. Applicants must not have received another TxTRA scholarship in 2016.

· Members of the TxTRA Board of Directors or Education Committee are not eligible. Associate, Inactive and Student members are not eligible to apply.

· The scholarship recipient will not be eligible to apply again for five years. The TxTRA Executive Committee will maintain a listing of all scholarship awardees, and will provide a listing of all previous scholarship winners to the Education Committee.

Process: Applicants must complete the application form and submit a 500 to 750 word essay on the 2016

topic. One scholarship recipient will be chosen. 2016 Essay Topic: The essay topic for the 2016 Shelley Jordan Memorial Conference Scholarship is: Bridging the Gap: How

Cancer Registry Data Improved Patient Quality of Care. TxTRA encourages you to share your personal thoughts and insights on your experience in how cancer registry data has improved patient quality of care. E-mail completed application and essay to: Cynthia Carlisle at cynthiacarlisle0@gmail.com Please put “Shelley Jordan Scholarship” in the subject line of your e-mail; this will ensure your application is received.

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Criteria: The essay will be scored by TxTRA’s Education Committee using the following criteria: · Adherence to the topic · Use of original ideas and/or concepts · Coherence and completeness (If application information is missing or unclear, no points will be awarded

in this category.) · Compliance with the format (see below) · Additional points may be awarded by the committee, if the applicant has never attended a TxTRA Annual

Educational Conference.

Format: · MS Word Format (.doc or .docx) · Page header that includes title of essay and name of applicant. (If more than one page, header needs to

be displayed on each page.) · Include page numbers if more than one page. Please Print or Type Applicant name:

Institution:

Mailing address: City: State: Zip code: Work phone number:

E-mail:

Years of registry experience: Years of TxTRA membership: Last year you attended a TxTRA Annual Conference: or ____ Never attended

List your cancer registry professional involvement, including TxTRA or national cancer registrar association

participation. Make sure to include positions and list activities. Use additional page if needed.

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Texas Cancer Registry Liaison

Alejandra Madrigales, MS, CTR

Congratulations to the Texas Cancer Registry (TCR) on earning North American Association

of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) Gold certification and meeting National Program of

Central Registries (NPCR) high quality data standards for reporting year 2013. This is truly

a collaborative effort and reflection of the high quality and completeness of Texas data. We

need to make sure we have all submitted our 2014 and 2015 data for this year’s Call for

Data.

Dr. Melanie Williams is back as the Manager of the Texas Cancer Registry as of July 18,

2016. While happy to have Dr. Williams back with the registry, the TCR is also sad to bid

farewell to the manager in the Arlington office, Dora Rodrigues-Flores and Austin office,

Velma Garza. Dora has changed career paths and is with Community Health Services as of

July 1, 2016. Velma Garza is retiring after over 34 years with the TCR effective August 5,

2016. Both will be missed.

The TCR is currently testing the Version 16 edits and ready to test the Version 16 Registry

Plus Cancer reporting software. Additional information on both will be sent via email as

well as posted on the TCR website.

2016 Intermediate/Advanced Cancer Reporting Trainings are still being conducted across

Texas. If you have not registered please do so as soon as possible. Currently still pending

are:

Fort Worth – July 18-19 and July 20-21 Lubbock – August 15- 16 El Paso – August 18-19 To register, please fill out this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JSC2PB9

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

NCRA Update for State Associations

Janet Reynolds, BA, CTR

NCRA Recruitment & Retention Board Director 2015-2017

NCRA’s mission is to serve as the premier education, credentialing, and advocacy resource for cancer data professionals. Although state cancer registrar associations are not directly affiliated with the national organization, we do work together in a variety of ways to promote the valuable work of this important profession. NCRA connects with state associations through its Advocacy and Technical Practice Directors or ATPDs. These board members serve as the liaisons between members and NCRA on matters of advocacy and technical practice. The ATPDs correspond with state presidents through direct e-mails, NCRA’s quarterly E-newsletter to the States, and a meet-and-greet at the annual conference. ATPD-Midwest: Maria Teresa Ramirez, BS, CTR (email: midwestern@ncra-usa.org) Social Media Members and state associations can also keep up to date by participating in NCRA’s social networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. This is the quickest way to network with your peers to exchange information and ideas. [As an aside, please don’t utilize social media to ask specific abstracting questions that are more appropriately addressed through the CAnswer Forum, Central Registries or our various manuals. If you know which manual/chapter/page addresses a specific question, responding with that information can be beneficial.] www.ncra-usa.org/FB www.ncra-usa.org/LinkedIn www.twitter.com/NCRAnews Advocacy NCRA’s main advocacy effort in the coming years is to establish a distinct detailed occupation code of "Medical Registrar" in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. NCRA completed the first step of this multi-year process by submitting an application in July 2014 to the Office of Management and Budget. NCRA believes that a specific SOC code for “medical registrars” would ensure that the statistics on the medical registry workforce will be more accurate, providing a clearer understanding of the current and future workforce needs and salary details. Correct salary information will also help recruit and retain qualified individuals to this important profession and will ensure that skilled personnel are hired to fill cancer registrar positions at both the central and hospital levels. NCRA has prepared materials to help its members and other medical registrars understand the importance and the process for establishing a distinct SOC code for “Medical Registrars.” To access these resources, including a video outlining NCRA’s rationale and the SOC process, visit www.ncra-usa.org/SOCcode. As of June 2016, NCRA is still waiting to hear the results from the Department of Labor. As soon as an update is available, NCRA will inform the membership.

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NCRA Update (cont.) CCRE NCRA’s Center for Cancer Registry Education is the focus of its educational programming. Also known as the CCRE, the site is designed to provide easy access to high-quality educational programming to support both seasoned professionals and those new to the field. It is a learning management system or LMS. An LMS is an online system for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of education courses or training programs. Colleges and universities use an LMS to deliver online classes and augment on-campus courses. Non-profit organizations, like NCRA, and corporate training departments use an LMS to deliver online training and to automate registration and CE record-keeping. The CCRE is one-stop-access to a variety of products and services that allows cancer registrars to tailor their training and manage continuing education credits. The educational products can be accessed 24 hours a day and are reasonably priced to ensure all registrars have access to high-quality training. To address the need to increase the cancer registry workforce, the CCRE also provides information on how to become a cancer registrar and earn the CTR credential. The heart of NCRA’s CCRE is located under two tabs: CE Opportunities and CTR Prep. Under the CTR Prep tab, registrars can register for the online CTR Prep workshop as well as access the new CTR Exam Practice Test and the archived CTR Exam Readiness webinars. Under the CE Opportunities tab, registrars can access a variety of educational products, including: •Live Webinars •Learning Modules •Online Courses •Annual Conference DVD •Journal of Registry Management Quizzes The CCRE not only provides easy access to high-quality training, it also allows registrars to manage their continuing education. Under the “My Learning Activities” tab, the system stores information on all the educational products a learner has purchased and completed, serving as a tool for the registrar to track and manage CE credits. In 2015, NCRA added a tab entitled “AHIMA” to host the NCRA-AHIMA Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program and to host AHIMA’s online Coding Basics program. Visit the Center for Cancer Registry Education at www.CancerRegistryEducation.org. NCRA is committed to preparing cancer registrars for the transition from Collaborative Stage to AJCC TNM and Summary Stage. To that end, NCRA has created a separate tab on the CCRE to serve as a hub for NCRA’s TNM and Summary Stage training and resources. NCRA has posted to this tab the TNM and Summary Stage sessions from the 2015 and 2014 annual conferences. These sessions have been posted for registrars to view free of charge. Also, posted under this tab are the 2015 sessions from NCI-SEER’s and CDC-NPCR’s pre-conference workshops. To access the complimentary presentations from the Annual Conference, go to: www.CancerRegistryEducation.org/tnm-ss-transition. In 2015, NCRA released Cancer Case Studies: A Workbook to Practice Assigning AJCC TNM Stage and Coding SEER Summary Stage. The workbook provides opportunities for registrars to practice assigning AJCC TNM Stage and coding SEER Summary Stage. It has been designed to assist those new to the cancer registry field to build their skills as well as seasoned professionals who want to improve their proficiencies. The workbook contains 40 cases. The answers and rationales are provided to ensure understanding.

Go to www.ncra-usa.org/casestudies to order.

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

NCRA Update (cont.) Also in 2015, NCRA developed a new resource: Informational Abstracts. As you know, the abstract is the basis of all registry functions. It is a tool used to help accurately determine stage and to aid cancer research; therefore, the abstract must be complete, containing all the information needed to provide a concise analysis of the patient’s disease from diagnosis to treatment. To assist registrars in preparing abstracts, NCRA’s Education Committee created a series of informational abstracts. These site-specific abstracts provide an outline to follow when determining what text to include. To access this complimentary resource, go to the “Resources” tab at the Center for Cancer Registry Education. The website is www.CancerRegistryEducation.org. In 2015, NCRA also created an Online Case Studies product. This helpful training tool is available through the Center for Cancer Registry Education and provides 15 online cases studies. Correct answers and corresponding rationales are presented upon completion of each case. Note: These are different cases than the ones in the Cancer Case Studies Workbook that NCRA released in the spring of 2015. Learn more at: www.CancerRegistryEducation.org. CTR Prep

NCRA offers a wide variety of CTR Exam Prep resources, including:

NCRA Study Guide for the CTR Exam

Online CTR Exam Practice Test

CTR Exam Prep Online Workshop

Archived CTR Prep Webinars

The 2016 edition of the NCRA’s Study Guide for the CTR Exam will be available December 18, 2015.

Go to: www.ncra-usa.org/CTRPrep to learn more! New Member Benefit: Professional Liability Insurance Professional Liability Insurance protects you against claims arising from real or alleged errors or omissions, including negligence, in the course of your professional duties. Remember, legal defense and settlement costs are paid in addition to your limits of liability.

The limits of liability offered are $1,000,000/$6,000,000. Upon approval, the premiums for individual policy holders can be as follows:

• Employed Part-Time: $98 premium, $10 administrative fee for members of NCRA/$20 for non-members • Employed Full-Time: $98 premium, $10 administrative fee for members of NCRA/$20 for non-members • Self-Employed Part-Time: $100 premium, $10 administrative fee for members of NCRA/$20 for non-members • Self-Employed Full-Time: $192 premium, $10 administrative fee for members of NCRA/$20 for non-members

Go to http://www.ncra-usa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4243 to learn more.

Make sure to visit NCRA’s website at www.ncra-usa.org to learn more about NCRA products and services, critical dates, and industry updates.

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Join us for our Annual Conference!

August 24—26, 2016

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

If you have not renewed your membership for 2016 you still have time. Applications for membership are not accepted within 30 days of the Annual Education Conference. Renew before July 24th to claim your TxTRA member rate!

Registration for the Texas Tumor Registrars Association 44th Annual Education Conference

is now open. You can register for both the conference and the hotel here. Please book

through this link to avoid confusion on availability.

http://www.txtra.org/annualmeeting/

Register on or before August 7, 2016 to receive the early registration discount. Online

registration will close end of business August 19, 2016.

Book your hotel by July 26th to get the TxTRA rate.

Ways and Means is accepting Raffle Baskets and Door Prize donations. Please notify Stacy

Torrez if you will be making a donation to ensure we have enough space for all the TxTRA

creativity! You can contact Stacy at: stacytorrez@registrypartners.com

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

Dining and Recreation Options

Our vibrant urban location in the downtown arts and financial district is just minutes

from the Dallas Convention Center, One Arts Plaza, AT&T Performing Arts Center, the

Cotton Bowl Stadium, and Victory Park, home of the American Airlines Center.

RECREATION Dallas Arboretum

Six Flags Over Texas Dallas Zoo

Dallas World Aquarium American Airlines Center

Myerson Symphony

ARTS & CULTURE Dallas Center of the Performing Arts

Dallas Museum Of Art Nasher Sculpture Center

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (JFK Museum) African American Museum

The Dallas Museum of Art Dallas World Aquarium

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

WEST END HISTORIC DISTRICT Whether you’re a local looking for fun things to do in Downtown Dallas or a visitor wanting to experience the best of the Big D, the West End Historic District is the ultimate destination. Located in the northwest corridor of Downtown Dallas, Texas, our 67.5 acres’ district is full of restaurants, shops, museums, and entertainment. Our streets combine historic charm with modern elements and an authentic atmosphere to provide you with an experience unlike any other. From world-famous attractions like the Dallas World Aquarium and the John F. Kennedy Memorial to gourmet wild game dinners and horse drawn carriage tours, no one does Dallas like we do.

Dick’s Last Resort Hard Rock Cafe

Spaghetti Warehouse

Dining and Recreation Options (cont.)

TxTRA ExTRA—Summer 2016

DEEP ELLUM

This former warehouse district immediately east of downtown is the Dallas headquarters for live music. In the early 1900's, it was the hotbed of the blues and of African-American life and culture. Today, in addition to blues, the area swings with everything from jazz to alternative beats. Among the 42 clubs and numerous restaurants are shops and galleries where clothing and jewelry often double as original works of art. If you are looking for something entirely different, Deep Ellum is the place to go. Described as a little New Orleans and Southern SoHo, Deep Ellum is a trendy and hip area of modern Dallas.

Dining and Recreation Options (cont.)

2015—2016 TxTRA Officers and Committee Members

Elected Officers

President: Dee Moncada, CTR

President Elect: Vicki Holmes, RHIT, CTR

1st Vice President: Cynthia Carlisle, RHIT, CTR

2nd Vice President: Kimberly Kinney-Lara, RHIT, CTR

Secretary: Sofia Silva, CTR

Treasurer: Laura Siciliano, RN, OCN, CTR

Board of Trustees and *Strategic Planning

Past President: Misty Sonnenberg, BBA, CTR

Cynthia Carlisle, RHIT, CTR

Dianne Cleveland, RHIA, CTR

Michelle Tessaro, BS, CTR

Heidi Noell, RHIT, CTR

Kim Everett, CTR

Gay Jordan, CTR

Susan Perez, CTR

Velma Garza , CTR

Alejandra Madrigales, MS, CTR

Standing Committees

By-Laws Committee

Vicki Holmes, RHIT, CTR (Current Chair)

Janet Reynolds, BA, CTR

Barbara Denton, MS, CTR

Education Committee

Cynthia Carlisle, RHIT, CTR (Current Chair) Valerie Vesich, RHIT, CTR (Past Chair) Corie Denerstein Jennifer Harris, CTR Alejandra Madrigales, MS, CTR Heidi Noell, RHIT, CTR Bonnie Valdez, CTR

Finance Committee

Stacy Torrez, CTR (Current Chair) Janet Reynolds, BA, CTR Kathy Baskin, CTR Anita Eads, CTR Suzanne Gomez, RRT, RCP

Nominating Committee

Sofia Silva, CTR (Current Chair)

Heidi Noell, RHIT, CTR

Membership Committee

Vicki Holmes, RHIT, CTR

Patricia Babin, MPH, RHIT, CTR Janet Reynolds, BA, CTR

Program Committee

Janet Reynolds, BA, CTR (Current Chair)

Cynthia Carlisle, RHIT, CTR (Past Chair)

Misty Sonnenberg, BBA, CTR

Vicki Holmes, RHIT, CTR

Alejandra Madrigales, MS, CTR

Publications Committee

Kimberly Kinney-Lara, RHIT, CTR (Current Chair)

Susan Perez, CTR (Past Chair)

Ways & Means Committee Stacy Torres, CTR (Current Chair)

Kathy Tinney, CTR (Past Chair)

Website Committee Christy Hale, CTR, RHIT (Current Chair) Lynn Tumey, CTR Veronica Shrode, CTR

Presidential Appointments Parliamentarian: Vicki Holmes, RHIT, CTR Historian: Misty Sonnenberg TCR Liaison: Alejandra Madrigales, MS, CTR TxHIMA Liaison: Joyce Ritter, RHIA, CTR TMA Liaison: Janet Reynolds, BA, CTR

Our Mission Texas Tumor Registrars Association, a volunteer organization dedicated to the support of cancer data management

professionals, promotes education and guidance in the areas of cancer registry and cancer program administration. We

enhance knowledge through exchange of ideas and

dissemination of information on current cancer program standards, patient care standards and oncology research

activities.

Our Vision

We envision playing an active role in the improvement and standardization of cancer

data management, and providing education on the newest technologies in cancer

diagnosis and treatment.