California Cancer Reporting System Standards Volume I: Abstracting and Coding Procedures
Enter the medical record number assigned to the patient at the reporting facility. For facilities using a serial numbering system, enter the latest number assigned at the time of abstracting. (This will not be updated.)
Medical record numbers can be alphanumeric and should be right justified.
Do not use punctuation or leave a blank space. Enter leading zeroes that are part of the number.
If a patient has not been assigned a medical record number at the time the abstract is prepared, certain other identifying numbers may be entered. For example:
Some facilities enter the log number assigned by the radiation therapy department, preceded by the letters RT, for patients who do not have a medical record number but are receiving radiation therapy.
For outpatients who are not admitted and not seen in the radiation therapy department, the assigned number can be preceded with the letters OP.
If a number is not assigned, enter a code meaningful to the facility. This field should not be left blank.
An alternate medical record number, such as the patient's record number at the next follow-up facility, may be entered for the convenience of the facility performing the follow-up. The Alternate Medical Record Number field should usually be changed if the Next Follow-Up Facility field is changed. The item is not required, and is not transmitted to the CCR.