Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to understand California's training standards of excellence, their purpose, how they were developed, and how to adapt the self-assessment process for their own registry.

Background:
California has nine regional registries with variations in software used and training styles. In 2003, a statewide training curriculum was launched. In 2005, an assessment tool was developed to gage the implementation of recommended training protocols.

Objectives:
Objectives are to promote statewide consistency for registry training with medical office staff; Build competency of registry staff for hands-on computer instruction and ongoing customer service; Foster long-term provider retention; Increase registry user competence to use system fully and accurately; and Improve the overall quality and completeness of data entered.


Methods:
A self-assessment instrument and accompanying instructions were developed based on the PROW model (levels I, II, and III of difficulty). Regional registries pilot-tested the assessment and measured their progress on proposed training standards.

Results:
Assessment findings were compiled in a summary report. Overall, California registries showed a high degree of adherance to most of the basic training standards and a willingness to more fully meet most training activities that were to date "partially met" or "could be met."

Conclusions:
The assessment process was easy for registries to complete and provided a basis for measuring progress and identifying gaps in current training protocols. The tool is adaptable for any state to use.