Seer*Abs 10 Users Manual March 2017 Table of Contents

SEER*Abs v2.10

Users Manual

March 2017

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ii

Section 1: SEER*Abs Installation 1

Section 2: Introduction to SEER*Abs 2

Logging In 2

Changing Your Password 3

SEER*Abs Menus, Toolbar, and Shortcuts 3

Status Bar 6

Keyboard Commands 6

User Preferences 7

Section 3: Worklist 9

Navigation Keys for the Worklist 10

Searching the Worklist 10

List of Tasks 12

Contextual Menu for the Worklist Table 12

Processing an AFL 13

Opening a Record in the Worklist 15

Section 4: Editing a Record 16

Accessing the Record Editor 17

Record Data Entry Form 18

Record Editor Toolbar 19

Color Codes Used in the Record Editor 21

Entering Values into Data Fields 22

Field Descriptions 23

Fields Lookup 23

Autocomplete Feature 24

Multi-lines text boxes 25

Physician and Facility Lookups 26

Staging Lookups 27

Site-specific surgery lookup 29

Edits to Validate Data 30

Text Viewer 32

Record Summary Panel 34

Creating a Record from another Record 34

Keyboard Shortcuts 35

Section 5: Searching the Reference Data 36

Patient Reference Data 37

Facility and Physician Reference Data 38

SEER*Rx Drugs and Regimens 39

Hematopoietic Disease Database 42

HematoDB Multiple Primaries Calculator Tool 44

Section 6: Synchronizing SEER*Abs with the Central Registry 46

Exporting Data 46

Importing Data 48

Recovering an extracted data file 51

Section 1: SEER*Abs Installation

The registry’s first installation of SEER*Abs should be on the workstation of the registry’s SEER*Abs system administrator. The system administrator will configure SEER*Abs and create a registry-specific installation program for you and other SEER*Abs users at the registry.

To install SEER*Abs on your computer:

1. 
   The SEER*Abs software requires Java 1.8.0 or later. Follow these steps to determine the version of Java installed on your computer:
   
   1. 
      Enter “java –version” at a DOS prompt.
      
   2. 
      If you do not have the required version, uninstall the existing version of Java and install the latest version. More information related to the appropriate version of Java is provided on the SEER Website (http://seer.cancer.gov/seerabs).
      
2. 
   Install SEER*Abs by executing the SEER*Abs installer provided to you by your registry’s SEER*Abs system administrator. Please refer to the SEER*Abs Installation Guide or documentation provided by your registry’s system administrator for further instructions.
   

1. Section 2: Introduction to SEER*Abs

Install your registry’s version of SEER*Abs on your laptop. The system configuration defines how patient and record data are displayed in the system, the availability of reference data, your username and initial password, and your Abstractor ID. Please contact your registry’s IT staff for assistance with the SEER*Abs installation or to request changes to the configuration.

Logging In

Your user name and initial password were defined by your registry’s system administrator when SEER*Abs was configured for your laptop. If a shortcut was created, the SEER*Abs icon will be displayed on your desktop or in your system tray.

To log in:

1. 
   Click the SEER*Abs icon or double-click the seerabs.exe executable file. SEER*Abs will load configuration files and execute initialization scripts. You may continue with the login process while SEER*Abs loads and executes the scripts.
   
2. 
   Enter your username and password. The username field will default to the username entered in the previous session.
   
3. 
   If your work will be related to data for one facility, you may specify the Facility on the login page. This sets the Current Facility for your session. The Current Facility is used as the default facility in the worklist and, depending on your registry’s configuration; it may be used as a default value for some data entry fields. It may also be used in scripts that create extracts and download data from your registry database. Consult your registry’s SEER*Abs system administrator to determine the ways in which the Current Facility is used.
   
   1. 
      To specify the Current Facility on the login page, enter the facility ID or use the lookup to search for a facility. SEER*Abs Facility IDs are the same as those in your central registry’s data management system. If your registry uses SEER*DMS, you do not have to enter the FAC- prefix.
      
   2. 
      If you are not working on data for a single facility or if you have not yet downloaded the facility list from your central registry’s database, you may leave this field blank. (Facility lists in SEER*Abs are updated when SEER*Abs is synchronized with data from the registry’s central database.)
      
4. 
   Click Login.
   
5. 
   If this is your first SEER*Abs Session, you will be prompted to change your password:
   
   1. 
      Enter a value in Password. Password requirements are described below in the Changing Your Password section of this chapter.
      
   2. 
      Verify the new password by re-entering it into the Repeat Password field.
      
   3. 
      Click OK.
      

Changing Your Password

SEER*Abs provides access to confidential data. It is your responsibility to protect and maintain your password according to registry policy. Your registry may require that you periodically create a new password. If you have forgotten your password, please contact the SEER*Abs system administrator at your registry.

To change your password:

1. 
   Select File > Change Password. (Keyboard alternative: use Alt-F to access the file menu and the down arrow key to select Change Password.)
   
2. 
   Enter your Current Password.
   
3. 
   Enter a New Password. All passwords must be at least 8 characters in length. Security measures to protect the confidentiality of patient data must include the use of strong system passwords. Your password should:
   
   1. 
      Include symbols, digits, and letters of both upper and lower case. You must use at least one lower case letter, one upper case letter, and one digit or punctuation mark.
      
   2. 
      Be significantly different from passwords that you have used in the past.
      
   3. 
      Not include your name, your username, your child’s name, or your pet’s name.
      
   4. 
      Not be a common word or name.
      
4. 
   Re-enter your new password in the Repeat New Password field.
   
5. 
   Click OK. Your new password will be effective immediately.