SEER Data Management System

SEER*DMS supports all core functions of a central cancer registry.

SEER*DMS Features

Automatic and Timely Compliance to New Standards

SEER*DMS fully supports the registries' mission for collecting and reporting population-based cancer surveillance data. IMS understands that registry data reporting must adhere to standards and requirements defined by local, state, and national standard setters. The national data setters include the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), the National Cancer Institute’s SEER program, and the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR).

New versions of the NAACCR Data Standards are implemented in SEER*DMS no later than March 1st of the year in which they go into effect. SEER*DMS supports algorithms for derived stage, NHIA, NAPPIA, the Census Tract Poverty Code and other derived fields defined in the NAACCR standard.

Edit sets provided by national standard setters are deployed in SEER*DMS within two weeks of release. IMS provides support and system functionality to implement locally defined edits to meet local or state data standards.

SEER*DMS supports standard submission extracts that conform to the reporting requirements of SEER, NAACCR, and NPCR. The submission extracts are updated annually when the organizations provide their call for data instructions. IMS provides support and system functionality to create data extracts that conform to the reporting requirements of local and state standard setters.

Real Time Geocoding

SEER*DMS submits secure API calls to the AGGIE geocoding system provided by Texas A&M, NAACCR, and the NCI.

Reports and Analysis

SEER*DMS includes a variety of integrated reports which summarize registry activities, track data through the system, and provide quality control and completeness metrics.

Data Submissions and Extracts

SEER*DMS provides a push button mechanism for creating data submission files required by standard setters such as NAACCR, NPCR, and SEER. It includes pre-defined extracts for standard linkage such as NDI and SSA.

SEER*DMS Edits

Patient data are validated against standard edit sets and edits written by registry staff.SEER, NPCR, NCDB, and NAACCR Call for Data edits are maintained and updated in a timely manner.

Software as a Service

The registry's instance of the SEER*DMS application and database are hosted at an IMS Computer Center. Registry users access the system via a Web browser using a secure connection. The benefits of this distribution model include:

Reduced Maintenance Responsibilities and Costs

All operating system and SEER*DMS application updates are managed by the IMS technical support team.
Database is maintained by IMS database administrators.
Built on open source products such as Linux and PostgreSQL to eliminate licensing fees.

Minimal Disruption of Existing IT Infrastructure

System engineers work with local IT staff to implement a secure and convenient network connection using a site-to-site or client-to-site VPN.
No registry responsibility for database security, backup, or system maintenance.
Browser-based interface minimizes client PC requirements.

High Up-Time

IMS technical support team is notified in real time of system errors and warnings.
Monitoring mechanisms proactively identify conditions that may lead to performance degradation or service interruption.
Enterprise class servers with redundant hardware components to eliminate single points of failure.

Robust Data Restoration Capabilities

Redundant data centers are located 60 miles from each other.
Production data are copied to the secondary data center multiple times per day to minimize data loss in the event of a disaster.
Use of NetApp file system leveraging snapshots to maintain 128 hourly restore points on-line.
Maintenance of database transaction logs to facilitate point in time recovery (PITR) more granular than just "top of the hour".

About SEER*DMS

SEER*DMS was developed by IMS under contract to the National Cancer Institute, DCCPS, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.

It supports all core functions of a central cancer registry. The centralized system design improves data quality and consistency, increases efficiency, and reduces registry operating costs. All aspects of the system can be customized to meet the needs of individual registries.

The SEER*DMS workflow engine moves data and tasks from one person to another based on registry business rules. Automated tasks are handled seamlessly by the system. Processes that require human intervention are held in a manual task for completion by a user. Routing decisions are made declaratively in configuration files. The XML construct allows the SEER*DMS workflow to be easily customized for each registry.

SEER*DMS users interact with the registry's database through an interface displayed in a web browser. This design reduces maintenance of individual workstations by providing a mechanism to deliver system upgrades to all registry desktops simultaneously.

Editors and coders view and update the data through an intuitive graphical interface. Specific tasks are assigned to their user accounts. Registry managers can easily monitor and re-distribute the workload.