of Rhode Island

Hospital Association

In Rhode Island the  Rhode Island Department of Health contracts the Hospital Association of Rhode Island (HARI) to Maintain the official statewide cancer incidence database.  HARI’s Cancer Information Systems staff are responsible for collecting newly diagnosed cancer cases and submitting data to national organizations such as the National Program for Cancer Registries of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries as well as international studies such as Concord and IARC. 

The RICR was established in 1986.  Data include detailed demographic, diagnostic, clinical, treatment and outcome information.  Data is collected by Rhode Island’s acute care hospitals as well as freestanding radiation therapy centers, pathology labs licensed by the state of Rhode Island and data exchange with all 50 states.  Data collection is mandated by Rhode Island state law.  The Department of Health uses the cancer data to guide various cancer control programs, conduct surveillance and to provide qualified researchers with accurate, timely and complete data.  

Cancer Information System staff routinely perform data quality and completeness audits on data from reporting facilities as well as providing training programs at no cost to attendees. 

Currently the Rhode Island Cancer Registry database contains 27 years of data involving over 180,000 cancers diagnosed in Rhode Island residents. 

The Rhode Island Cancer Registry has been awarded the "gold standard" for eighteen consecutive years by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the accrediting body for central cancer registries. The accreditation process involves the examination of six distinct areas of data quality, completeness and timeliness. Rhode Island consistently meets the highest standard, the "gold standard," in all six criteria.  The Rhode Island Cancer Registry has also been awarded the Registry of Distinction award by the National Program for Cancer Registries of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

In 2011, the Rhode Island Statewide Cancer Registry was one of ten central cancer registries selected to participate in the Comparative Effectiveness Research project of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The purpose of this initiative was improve health outcomes by providing evidence to enhance patient and provider medical decisions.  Rhode Island received more than $1.2 million in funding to establish a specialized registry to expand and enhance data collection policies and procedures.  This project has continued in the form of the Patient Centered Outcome Research Project. 

The Rhode Island Cancer Registry is one of seven central cancer registries to be selected to take part in the Early Case Capture of Pediatric and Young Adult Cancers project as part of the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act.  

Information relating to the incidence of cancer in Rhode Island is available at the Rhode Island Department of Health website.