SECTION 310:567-1-2. Definitions


Latest version.
  •   The following words or terms, when used in this Chapter, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
    "Cancer diseases" means a general term frequently used to indicate any of various types of malignant neoplasms, most of which invade surrounding tissues, may metastasize to several sites, and are likely to recur after attempted removal and to cause death of the patient unless adequately treated; especially, any such carcinoma or sarcoma, but in ordinary usage, especially the former.
    "Clinic" means any licensed facility serving persons on an out-patient basis which provides diagnostic and/or treatment of cancerous diseases and precancerous conditions.
    "Commissioner" means the Oklahoma Commissioner of Health.
    "Confidentiality pledge" means a legal document acknowledging the confidential and sensitive nature of personal data stored in the State Central Cancer Registry which prohibits the release of registry data without the written consent of the Commissioner of Health.
    "Department" means the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
    "Dentist" means a person trained in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the teeth and related structures of the oral cavity who is licensed by the Board of Governors Registered Dentists State of Oklahoma and qualified to practice dentistry.
    "Diagnostic services" means any service which entails the diagnosis of a cancerous disease or precancerous condition, including such services as those provided by Oncologists, Pathologists, Radiologists, and surgeons.
    "Facility" means any licensed or certified medical facility or establishment which provides diagnostic and/or treatment services for cancerous diseases and precancerous conditions.
    "Histology" means the microscopic description of the type of cells in the specimen examined pathologically. The components of the histology shall include but not limited to: Morphology, Behavior, and Grade.
    "Hospital" means any medical facility licensed by the state to provide medical care on an in-patient or out-patient basis for the diseases of cancer, for precancerous conditions, or for early detection services related to the detection and treatment of cancerous and precancerous conditions.
    "Hospital identifier" means a unique code assigned to each hospital in the state which serves to uniquely identify each hospital in the State Central Cancer Registry, to assure the proper assignment of cancer data to the correct hospital.
    "In situ" means local within the original place, or a growth of abnormal cells which is detected in its anatomic site of origin.
    "Laboratory" means any accredited or certified laboratory which provides cytopathology services for defining the degree of abnormality of cells related to both cancerous and precancerous conditions.
    "Pathologist" means any person who is licensed by the State and has board certification to perform pathology and performs the scientific study of the nature of disease, its causes, processes, development, and consequences. This includes the study of the anatomic or functional manifestations of cancerous disease and precancerous conditions.
    "Pathology laboratory identifier" means a unique code assigned to an approved medical laboratory which provides cytopathology services for defining the behavior and degree of abnormality of a patient's laboratory specimen.
    "Physician" means any person who has completed a course of medical training, has received a degree and is licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure or the Oklahoma Osteopathic Board of Examiners to practice medicine.
    "Precancerous condition" means exhibiting a likelihood of becoming cancerous.
    "Registry" means a computerized system for collecting and compiling cancer data in a standard format, with the functional ability to merge data from various sources and perform correlations between a variety of data elements within the system. The Registry is also designed to produce summary reports and statistical analysis reports of the data contained in the Registry.
    "Stage of disease" means terms frequently used to describe stage of disease: localized (if limited to the primary site), regional (if the disease has spread to adjacent organs or tissues and/or regional lymph nodes), and distant (if the cancer has spread to distant organs or nodes.)
    "TNM" means the summary stage of a tumor, "T" meaning tumor, "N" meaning nodes and "M" meaning metastasis.
    "Treatment services" means any type of treatment delivery for cancerous disease or precancerous conditions, performed in a medical facility on an out-patient or in-patient basis.
    "Tumorous" means a circumscribed, non-inflammatory growth arising from existing tissue but growing independently of the normal rate or structural development of such tissue and serving no physiological function.
[Source: Added at 11 Ok Reg 3959, eff 6-21-94 (emergency); Added at 12 Ok Reg 1691, eff 6-12-95; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 3138, eff 7-25-97; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 2944, eff 7-13-00]