The impact of electronic health record usage on cancer registry systems in Alabama

As the use of information technology within the healthcare setting increases, the impact of bridging registry data with electronic health records (EHRs) must be addressed. Current EHR implementation may create benefits as well as challenges to cancer registries in areas such as policies and regulations, data quality, reporting, management, staffing, and training. The purpose of this study was to assess 1) the status of EHR usage in cancer registries, 2) the impact of EHR usage on cancer registries, and 3) the benefits and challenges of EHR usage for cancer registries in Alabama. The study method consisted of a voluntary survey provided to participants at the Alabama Cancer Registry Association 2009 annual conference. Forty-three respondents completed the survey. Data indicated that the major benefits of EHR use for the cancer registry included more complete treatment information available to clinicians and researchers, more time for retrieving and analyzing data for clinicians and researchers, and better tracking of patient follow-up. The major challenges included lack of adequate resources, lack of medical staff support, and changing data standards. The conclusion of the study indicates that understanding the impacts and challenges of EHR usage within cancer registries has implications for public health data management, data reporting, and policy issues.