10A NCAC 47B .0102       DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply throughout this Section:

(1)           "Abstract" refers to a document or documents, including electronic documents and files, containing information drawn from a cancer patient's medical record.

(2)           "Cancer registrar" is a registrar who abstracts information from the medical records of cancer patients.

(3)           "Death match" refers to the procedure of comparing registry cases with death certificate information, for confirmation of the reported death of any cancer patient, to determine if the cancer constituted the cause of death, and for identification of cases missed in routine reporting procedures.

(4)           "Definitive treatment" refers to all methods of treatment intended to modify or control the cancer including no treatment, palliative care, and follow-up care.

(5)           "Follow‑up information" is information on the post-treatment status of a cancer patient whose abstract was submitted to the registry previously.

(6)           "Identifying information" is any portion of any abstract that might reveal the personal identity of a cancer patient.

(7)           "Morphologic information" refers to pathology, cytology, tumor markers, or laboratory tests that identify cell types of malignant neoplasms.

(8)           "Palliative treatment" refers to treatment that is not intended to effect a cure, but the treatment procedure is expected to improve "quality of life" by temporarily relieving distressing symptoms.

(9)           "Participating facility" is a health care facility that submits abstracts to the registry.

(10)         "Pathology report" is the written report generated by a pathologist, stating the diagnostic interpretation of tissue samples or cellular material examined by the pathologist.

(11)         "Personnel" means persons who are employees of the Department of Health and Human Services, or who are persons who provide services to the central cancer registry through a written contract.

(12)         "Positive pathology report" is a pathology report confirming the presence of cancer.

(13)         "Registrar" is an employee of a health care facility who prepares abstracts of medical records.

(14)         "Registry" is the central cancer registry.  The registry is administratively assigned to the State Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health and Human Services.

(15)         "Statistical report" refers to a report generated by the registry for informational or educational purposes.  A statistical report contains aggregated data and does not contain identifying information.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A‑205; 130A-208 through 130A-213;

Eff. January 1, 1982;

Amended Eff. October 1, 1983;

Transferred and Recodified from 10 NCAC 8A .0802 Eff. April 4, 1990;

Amended Eff. April 1, 2001; December 1, 1990;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. December 20, 2015.