Central Cancer Registry Data Management System

摘要

This paper describes a data management system which has been developed for the Connecticut Tumor Registry to optimize the processing and control of information within the registry and to minimize the manual procedures required. The main features of the system are document control, in which a computer-assigned number follows a tumor report from the time it enters the registry; automated patient linkage, which uses several demographic variables to match incoming patient records against existing records with the same surname phonetic code and sex; and extensive intra- and inter-field editing of all data elements. A number of reports are generated to enable the registry staff to evaluate the quality of the data being captured and to assist the hospital-based registries in maintaining their files and in performing patient follow-up. To the extent possible, record formats, edit criteria and text associated with given data values are contained in files external to the main programs to facilitate modifications without the need for extensive program alterations.