Quality & Registry
Why is the Registry important?
Analysis of the data in the Cancer Registry helps us:
- Provide information to physicians who treat cancer to evaluate the success of treatment and help in early detection of recurrent cancer.
- Gain a better understanding of the nature of cancer by providing information for clinical research and medical education.
- Evaluate the patterns of referral for cancer patients and obtain accurate information about the types of tumors diagnosed here. This helps us coordinate all of our cancer treatment activities.
Who has access to the information?
The California Department of Health Services has been mandated under state law (Chapter 841, Statutes of 1985) to gather information about the amount and types of cancer occurring throughout the state. The purpose of the law is to help identify preventable causes of cancer. Therefore the law requires hospitals and physicians to notify the appropriate regional registry of each new cancer case.
The information collected is confidential under Safety Code Sections 211.3 and 211.5, and the identities of patients are not revealed. Some cancer patients may, however, be contacted later by the California Department of Health Services or the regional cancer registries as part of their ongoing investigations into the causes of cancer.
As a contributor to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), our information will help facilitate informed decisions for new directions in cancer control. The goal of the NCDB is to present an annual summary of patient care for cases of cancer diagnosed and treated at hospitals across the country.
For more information, contact the Saint Agnes Cancer Registry at (559) 450-3570.