Programs and Tools:
CoCASA: FAQs
CoCASA pages:
On this page:
January 10, 2008
General Questions
Q: Do you have any training for CoCASA available?
A: State AFIX Coordinators have been trained by CDC on the CoCASA software and are responsible for providing training at the state and local levels. In addition, the CoCASA Course offers tutorials including an overview of AFIX and the CoCASA software application. You can access the Course by clicking on “Help”, then “AFIX/CoCASA Course” on the main menu in CoCASA.
Q: Why can’t I see some assessments?
A: In all versions of CoCASA prior to 3.0 you will only see assessments that are tied to your user logon account. You will not be able to see assessments on the Assessment Setup screen that were entered or imported using a different user logon. You will, however, be able to run reports on any assessment in the database. However, beginning with CoCASA 3.0, all users will be able to view all assessments.
Q: Are there any known bugs in version 3.0 and 3.1 of CoCASA?
A: CDC is interested in any bugs that users find in CoCASA, and is always working to update and improve the program. These are the known bugs in CoCASA 3.0 and 3.1:
1. When running the "Missing Immunizations" report and looking at PCV7, some children who are complete with 3 doses are being listed as needing a 4th dose.
Q: Are there any known bugs in version 2.1 of CoCASA?
A: Yes there are some bugs that we are aware of in version 2.1. There are other minor issues that are not listed here. These bugs, and others, were fixed in versions 3.0 and 3.1. Click here and open the "Modifications to CoCASA" document for a complete list of bugs that were fixed.
1. The Missed Opportunities Report is showing patients multiple times (once for each missed opportunity).
2. Running the Missing Immunizations Report without the ACIP recommendations applied shows the missing dose as dose 1, even when it may actually be dose 2, dose 3, etc. that is missing.
3. Null values for First Known Service Date and Last Known Visit Date are causing the following error to be shown when exporting CoCASA data: “The provider could not determine the DateTime value. For example, the row was just created, the default for the DataTime column was not available, and the consumer had not yet set a new DateTime value." (We have a fix that can be sent out to fix this problem.
4. Custom Assessment Factors that do not have identical capitalizations are causing errors when importing CoCASA data.
5. Sorting patients when the last ‘selected’ patient was in a different assessment causes the list of patients from the previous assessment to be shown.
6. The Total Cohort Percent column on the Reasons Not Vaccinated Report is incorrect.
7. When importing a literal string of “MCV4” from a text file, the brand name is not getting saved.
Q: When we initially set up CoCASA we entered multiple user names and they are all still listed in the log-on screen. We understand what we did and why the names are there, but is there a way to delete the names from the log-on screen?
A: Unfortunately, there is no way to delete names from the log-on screen once they have been created.
Q: We like to sort our providers by specialty (Pediatrician, Family Practice, etc). Should we just select ‘Other’ in the Provider Type variable and enter the specialty there?
A: It is important to first understand how the Provider Type variable functions in the database before selecting ‘other’. ‘Provider type’ is an important variable for the summary reports that you need to produce for the annual VFC Management Survey. Currently, the report reviews the ‘Provider Type’ field and classifies the provider as ‘Public’ or ‘Private’. For example, the options ‘public health dept clinic’ and ‘FQHC’ are classified as ‘Public’ in the report and the option ‘private practice’ and ‘hospital based - private’ are classified as ‘Private’ in the report. So, if you select ‘other’ for your pediatricians who are private physicians, these visits cannot be incorporated into the report summary of your activities as they cannot be included with either public or private visits. We are considering adding a variable for ‘Provider Specialty’ to a future version of the software.
Q: How is the variable ‘The number of children eligible in the practice’, located on the Visit Information screen, best determined? We find that most of our providers do not know how many children they have in the 24- to 35-month-old age group.
A: The ‘number of eligible children in practice’ variable is not a required field. To get this information, most assessors ask the provider for an estimate, or take it from a computerized list of age-eligible patients. If you don't think the provider can give a good estimate (or a computerized list is not available) then leave the field blank.
Q: Is there a limit on how long a Custom Question can be?
A: Yes. The limit is currently set at 255 characters (for the multiple choice question option this includes both the question and the answers). However, if you exceed 150 characters, you will not be able to see the entire text of the question.
Installation, Setup, & Compatibility
Q: Can I install CoCASA on a network so that my staff can enter data at their computer but the data is saved in one central database?
A: Yes. There is a way to install CoCASA on your network (or a shared drive) so that your staff can enter data in one, central database. There are a few steps required to have this option set up.
Steps for setting up a centralized/shared database:
1. Install CoCASA on each machine that will be using the shared database.
2. On the machine that has the database you want to share, use the "Copy Database" function under “Utilities -> Database functions” to make a copy of the application database out on the shared drive.
3. Then on all the machines that need to use the shared database (including the machine that you used to do the "Copy Database"), you will need to use the "Change Database Location" function to point the application to the database out on the shared drive.
Every time you start up CoCASA, the splash screen has the pathname of the database that CoCASA is ‘pointed to’ so you can verify that the correct database is being used. (You can also look on the “Help -> About CoCASA” screen to see the pathname of the database that is being used.)
It is important to note, that difficulties with using CoCASA from a shared drive have been documented. In some cases (particularly where users are accessing it from a remote location rather than from one central site) the software has been very slow to respond. Others have had the application unexpectedly close. If these problems are experienced, we recommend that you go back to using the database on your individual hard drives and exporting data to one, central database on a periodic basis.
Q: Once the setup is imported, will it do any damage to import it again (for a demonstration or by mistake)?
A: You will not do any damage by importing it again for demonstration or by mistake. It will update your setup based on the latest import, so just be sure you are importing the correct setup.
Q: Is the software compatible with any type of hand-held computer to use for direct on-site data entry during the actual site visit?
A: At this time we have not yet tested the application on any hand-held device, so we are not sure if the software is compatible. There is a page on the Microsoft website (exit) that lists the minimum system requirements and which machines you should be able to deploy a .NET application.
Q: Which Microsoft operating systems can I use with CoCASA?
A: Currently CoCASA is compatible with Windows 2000 and XP. CoCASA is not compatible with Windows 98. Furthermore, at this time CDC cannot support applications for the new VISTA operating system.
Importing
Q: Can I import data from a different version of CoCASA?
A: All versions of CoCASA 3.0 and later allow user to import data from versions 2.1 and 2.0. (This is not a feature that was possible with earlier versions of CoCASA). However, users are unable to import data from 3.0 and 3.1 into older versions.
Q: Will duplicates be created when you import data?
A: There should not be duplicate entries when you merge the data. The software will be set to merge using the VFC PIN# for the providers. As long as all users in a program use the same PIN for a provider, then the visit data will all be merged into one record for that provider. If different PIN numbers are used for the same clinic, then you will have duplicate entries that will need to be weeded out. This is why we are so adamant about unique PIN numbers for each provider site and that everyone use them consistently. If possible, populate all databases with the provider names/address and PIN numbers from the start so that differences are less likely to occur.
Q: How can our local import template be incorporated into CoCASA so that it is available when the software is downloaded from the web?
A: Specific instructions for this process have been added to the website at the following location:
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/cocasa/documentation.htm#support
Q: How can I import my WinCASA sites to my providers that are already in CoCASA?
A: First import your legacy WinCASA data into CoCASA. Then for each assessment use the “Move” button on the Assessment Setup tab to move each assessment from the provider that was created from the import to the provider that was already in CoCASA.
VFC Site Visit Questionnaire
Q: What is the password for the VFC Setup screen?
A: We have provided the AFIX coordinators with the password for the VFC Setup screen. Please check with your state/grantee Assessment or AFIX coordinator to obtain the password or the VFC Setup, whichever the case may be.
Q: Is there a way to lock the custom questions to ensure they are always entered the same way?
A: When a questionnaire setup is exported or imported the custom questions become locked and the end users cannot edit or deselect a custom question. This way all exported/imported Custom Question setups will be identical.
Q: How can I move the information listed in the box titled ‘Issues Requiring Corrective Actions’ to the text box to the left?
A: You are not able to move information from the list on the right to the text box on the left. The purpose of the list on the right is to let you know in which high priority areas the provider was noncompliant. The purpose of the text box on the left is for you to document what actions you took with the provider to correct the problems. For example, if the list on the right said the provider was not recording temperatures at least 2 times per day, you might enter “Reviewed guidelines for recording temperatures with provider; instructed provider to record temps at least 2x a day” in the text box on the left.
Reports
Q: Why does CoCASA consider a 4th dose of DTaP given at 4 months after dose 3 invalid?
A: CoCASA is a tool for implementing the AFIX process. The AFIX process is a continuous quality improvement strategy implemented to improve providers' immunization practices, including adhering to the ACIP Recommendations for childhood immunizations. Administering the 4th dose of DTaP between 4 and 6 months after DTaP3 is not the recommended standard of practice and should not be promoted as such.
ACIP does not refer to a DTaP4 dose given between 4 and 6 months after DTaP3 as "valid" or "invalid." ACIP simply states that these doses need not be repeated. Since they do not define them as "valid" or "invalid", the Missing Immunizations List and the Invalid Doses report include a note at the top of the reports to address this issue. This note at the top of the reports emphasizes that a provider should always use his/her clinical judgment before administering a vaccine. Since administering the 4th DTaP less than 6 months from the date of the 3rd dose is not the recommended standard of practice, the software is designed to adhere to the recommended interval. And since it is not the recommended standard of practice, administering the 4th DTaP outside the minimum intervals should not be a routine practice in providers' offices.
In terms of the AFIX visit, the number of times a provider administers the 4th DTaP early should have minimal impact on their AFIX assessment results. For example, 100 children are included in the assessment and 2 received an early 4th DTaP. There is minimal impact on the assessment result - 2% - but by including the child on the "Missing Immunizations" report, the provider will look up the chart and discover that he/she gave the dose too early. Although the dose does not need to be repeated, hopefully it will be a helpful reminder or learning experience for that provider.
If after reviewing the CoCASA reports, you discover a provider is consistently administering the 4th DTaP less than 6 months from the 3rd dose, then this issue is of greater concern and would need to be addressed as a primary topic in the feedback session.
Error Messages
Q: I’m getting the following error message when I try to install CoCASA: Not a valid Win32 application”.
A: This is usually caused from an incomplete download of the CoCASA installation file. The first thing to try would be to download the file again, and try installing. If that doesn’t work, then you may want to try the other method of installing CoCASA. (There are two methods of installing CoCASA from the website. The first method is to click on “Run” or “Open” to install directly from the website. The other method is to click on “Save” to save the installation file to your computer, then double-click the file on your computer to install CoCASA.)
Q: I’m getting an error message that says “Failed to load resources from resource file” when I start CoCASA. What can I do to fix this?
A: Download and install Service Pack 1 for the .NET Framework 1.1 at www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a8f5654f-088e-40b2-bbdb-a83353618b38&displaylang=en (exit)
Q: I’m getting an error message that says “Foxpro driver does not support this function” when I try to import legacy WinCASA data. What can I do to fix this?
A: If you have Windows XP, download and install an updated Foxpro driver at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/vfoxpro/Bb190233 (exit)
The file you need to download and install is the VFPODBC.MSI file (not the VFPODBC.MSM file). You should click on the link that says “English” under the heading “VFPODBC.MSI” towards the bottom of the web page.
Differences Between CASA and CoCASA
Q: What is the biggest difference between CASA and CoCASA?
A: The most important difference between reports results from CASA and CoCASA is the option to Apply ACIP Recommendations. This option is applied by default in CoCASA and means that only valid doses are considered in the calculation of report results. If a dose is determined as “invalid” by CoCASA, then it is as if that dose never occurred. This can result in a very different categorization of a patient included in the Summary Report. For example, if a child received all doses in the 43133 series before 24 months of age with the first MMR after the first birthday, the child would be considered “Up-to-Date” in CASA. However, if the 4th DTaP was not given 6 months after the 3rd dose of DTaP, then this child would be considered “Not Up-to-Date” in CoCASA.
Content last reviewed on January 10, 2008
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
