|
The follow-up process actually begins with the initial abstracting
process. All information that may be useful for follow-up
must be abstracted. If a patient is transferred to another
hospital for treatment, the registry or other department there
should be listed as a follow-up contact. Other follow-up contacts
can include home care, nursing homes, or hospices. It is helpful
to document any unusual circumstances such as blindness, difficulties
in hearing, or the fact that the patient does not speak English.
Other possible sources to consider are listed in the
Partial List of Sources page; however, the cancer committee
or governing body must authorize the registry staff to utilize
them. The method and dialogue of follow-up must be designated
by the cancer committee. Most registries also review obituaries
and compare them with their patient index files.
The National Cancer Registrars Association does not endorse
any of the sources listed in the
Partial List of Sources page. However, these sources have
been reported by both hospital based and population based
registry personnel as effective tools. When mailing follow-up
letters to patients, families, or friends, stamping "Address
Correction Requested" on the envelope is useful. The United
States Postal Service will usually return the letter with
a forwarding address within a certain time period. Registrars
have reported success when sending letters by certified mail,
return receipt requested. When the patient signs the card,
the United States Postal Service carrier dates it. The signature
must be verified with the health information record. If the
signature matches, the follow-up is reliable.
Population based registries usually keep on their records,
all hospitals that have seen a patient, and serve as a repository
for the best follow-up information. This information is then
shared with all facilities who have seen the patient. Updated
follow-up information received by the population based registries
from HCFA, Drivers License Records, Voters registration records,
the National Death Index, etc. is also shared with hospitals.
|
