Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-7-3-.01
(2) Statutory Authority. These rules are promulgated and adopted pursuant to the authority of Act 04-396.
(3) Definitions (a list of selected terms often used in connection with these Rules):
(a) "Accuracy" means the correctness of data reported on cancer or benign brain-related tumor cases submitted to the ASCR according to established national standards.
(b) "Advisory Council" means the council appointed by the State Health Officer consisting of healthcare professionals, university representatives, and other interested parties from various health associations.
(c) "ASCR" means the Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry.
(d) "Behavior Code" means a one-digit code which indicates whether a tumor is malignant, benign, in situ, or of uncertain behavior.
(e) "Cancer Registry" means a collection of cancer or benign brain-related tumor data on patients that is maintained as an identified repository of such data for, or within any hospital, medical clinic, or centralized institution.
(f) "Cancer Registrar" means any person appropriately trained for the collection of cancer or benign brain-related tumor data for a cancer registry.
(g) "Cancer Patient" means any person who is undergoing diagnosis or treatment for cancer or benign brain-related tumor.
(h) "Clinical Records" means any records, hard copy or patient abstract, containing information which could lead to the identification of cancer patients, cancer diagnosis or treatment facilities, independent clinical laboratories, or health care providers.
(i) "Clinical Information" means any information which could lead to the identification of cancer or benign brain-related tumor patients, cancer or benign brain-related tumor diagnosis or treatment facilities, independent clinical laboratories, or health care providers.
(j) "Completeness" means the complete reporting of all confirmed cases of cancer or benign brain-related tumor.
(k) "Data Acquisition Manual" means the manual developed by the ASCR which specifies the rules and guidelines used when abstracting a confirmed cancer or benign brain-related tumor case to be reported.
(l) "Death Match" means the matching of confirmed cases of cancer or benign brain-related tumor reported to the central registry with a listing of deceased individuals.
(m) "Direct Reporting" means the reporting of all cancers or benign brain-related tumors from the facility or provider to the central registry via paper or electronic submission.
(n) "Electronic data submission" means transferring data from a computer used by a reporting entity to a computer specified by the ASCR through the use of a modem, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, or secure Internet connection.
(o) "Healthcare Facilities" means all public, private, federal, or military hospitals, surgical centers, outpatient radiation therapy centers, outpatient medical oncology centers, or any other facilities where cancer or benign brain-related tumor cases are diagnosed or treated.
(p) "Healthcare Providers" means a person who is licensed by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners to practice medicine or the Alabama Board of Dental Examiners to practice dentistry.
(q) "Indirect Reporting" means reporting of all cancers or benign brain-related tumors to the central registry via paper or electronic submission by a facility through contract with an outside facility or registrar.
(r) "Primary Cancer" means any confirmed cancer or benign brain-related tumor not determined to be a metastasis from another primary site.
(s) "Primary Site" means the site of origin of a confirmed cancer or benign brain-related tumor.
(t) "Researcher" means the primary investigator, co-investigator, or project director of a research project or proposal.
(u) "Research Review Committee" means the committee appointed by the State Health Officer consisting of representatives from the ASCR Advisory Council and the ADPH.
(v) "Statistical Data" means collected aggregate data which does not lead to the identification of cancer or benign brain-related tumor patients, cancer or benign brain-related tumor diagnosis or treatment facilities, independent clinical laboratories, or health care providers.
(w) "Timeliness" means the reporting of all confirmed cases of cancer or benign brain-related tumor within 180 days of admission or diagnosis.
Author: Reda Wilson
Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 22-13-1.