III_3_3_3 Approximation

III.3.3.3 Approximation

At a minimum, a year of diagnosis is required for all analytic cases (Class of Case 00-22). Use the date treatment was started if the patient receives a first course of treatment before a definitive diagnosis. Documentation must be provided for the basis of the estimated date.

Use the following coding procedures for estimating dates relating to diagnosis.

Estimating Year

Use whatever information is available to calculate the year.
Code the year of admission when there is no basis for estimation.

Terms	Code To
Couple of years ago	Two years ago
Few years ago	Three years ago

Estimating Month

Use whatever information is available to calculate the month.
Leave the month blank if there is no basis for approximation.

Terms	Code To
Recently	Enter the month and year of admission, and unknown ("99") for the day. If patient was admitted during the first week of a month, enter the previous month
Several months ago	Assume the case was first diagnosed three months before admission with the day unknown when the patient was not previously treated or if a course of treatment started elsewhere was continued at the reporting hospital
Spring	Enter as April
Summer	Enter as July
Fall or Autumn	Enter as October
Winter	Enter as December or January based on available information i.e. end/beginning of year
Early in the year	Enter as January
Middle of the year	Enter as July.
End of the year	Enter as December
Late in the year	Enter as December

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