I.1.6.4 Date Format and Date Flag Guide

Dates transmitted between facility registries and central registries changed to improve the interoperability or communication of cancer registry data with other electronic record systems.  

Coding Instructions:

• Registry software may display dates in the traditional manner or in the interoperable format. Consult your software vendor for specific data entry instructions.

• Depending on the registry software, the date flag codes may be applied in the background and may not apparent to the registrar.

• Since only actual known dates are entered in interoperable date items, the date flags are used to explain the reason the date field is blank.

• Traditional dates are displayed in MMDDCCYY form, with 99 representing unknown day or month portions, and 99999999 representing a completely unknown date.  In traditional form, some dates also permit 88888888 or 00000000 for special meaning.

• Interoperable dates are displayed in CCYYMMDD form, with the unknown portions of the date filled with blank spaces.  If a date is entirely blank, an associated date flag is used to explain the missing date.  An allowable date must contain the year.

b= blank

* Allowable date flag values

Refer to the Date Flag Guide for the allowable values for each date flag field.

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