"2016 national patient misidentification report"

According to the Ponemon Institute 2016 National Patient Misidentification Report, clinicians spend, on average, 28.2 minutes per shift searching for medical records, and 86% of respondents have witnessed a medical error as the direct result of misidentification. Such misidentification errors can lead to denied claims.

Full Answer

Is patient misidentification an issue in the NCPs?

NCPS Patient Misidentification Study: A Summary of Root Cause Analyses PATIENT MISIDENTIFICATION has been highlighted as a serious issue in medical literature. Indeed, within the VA NCPS RCA database, more than 100 individual RCA reports involving patient misidentification were noted.

How was the misidentification recognized and addressed?

The misidentification was recognized and addressed when admission orders could not be located for the patient. He subsequently received the correct medications and the correct surgical procedure. ŠMany patients, including add-ons, were scheduled for cataract surgery.

What are the consequences of patient misidentification events?

The consequences of patient misidentification events can go beyond direct harm to the immediate patient, as illustrated by the following example: Two prostate biopsies were mislabeled, which resulted in more than 10 patient specimens being unus- able.

What is patient misidentification?

If a patient is misidentified, they will be given wrong treatment plans, wrong medications, or even wrong transplants. While the damages range from financial to physical, the effects are irreversible in most cases, with some patients even losing their lives.

How common is patient misidentification?

On average, hospitals have 30 percent of all claims denied. Survey respondents attributed inaccurate patient identification or incomplete patient information as the reason for 35 percent of all medical claims being denied, which are valued at an estimated $17.4 million per year per hospital.

How often does patient misidentification occur?

Of 503 healthcare executives across the United States surveyed for the 2016 National Patient Misidentification Report published by the Ponemon Institute, 64% claimed that patient misidentification errors happen more frequently than the reported industry standard of 8-10%.

Which patients are at higher risk of misidentification?

Acceptable identifiers may be the individual's name, an assigned identification number, telephone number, or other person-specific identifier. Newborns are at higher risk of misidentification due to their inability to speak and lack of distinguishable features.

What are the 5 patient identifiers?

Patient identifier options include:Name.Assigned identification number (e.g., medical record number)Date of birth.Phone number.Social security number.Address.Photo.

What are 2 acceptable patient identifiers?

Acceptable identifiers may be the individual's name, an assigned identification number, telephone number, or other person-specific identifier." Use of a room number would NOT be considered an example of a unique patient identifier.

How many prescription errors occur each year?

The FDA receives more than 100,000 reports every year that are related to medication errors. Medication errors can occur in pharmacies, hospitals, and patient homes. Learn how to prevent them.

When did the first national patient safety goals go into effect?

January 1, 2003In 2002, The Joint Commission established its National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) program; the first set of NPSGs was effective January 1, 2003. The NPSGs were established to help accredited organizations address specific areas of concern in regards to patient safety.

What are the 18 Hipaa recognized identifiers?

The 18 identifiers that make health information PHI are:Names.Dates, except year.Telephone numbers.Geographic data.FAX numbers.Social Security numbers.Email addresses.Medical record numbers.More items...•

What are the 2020 National patient safety Goals?

This is done to make sure that each patient gets the correct medicine and treatment.Identify patients correctly.Prevent infection.Improve staff communication.Identify patient safety risks.Prevent mistakes in surgery.

What are examples of methods to prevent the misidentification of newborn patients?

Note: Examples of methods to prevent misidentification may include the following: - Distinct naming systems could include using the mother's first and last names and the newborn's gender (for example: “Smith, Judy Girl” or “Smith, Judy Girl A” and “Smith, Judy Girl B” for multiples).

What is the rationale for National Patient Safety Goal 6?

accurate patient medication information. Goal 6: Reduce patient harm associated with clinical alarm systems.

The Cases

The following four events involving five patients all involved incorrect patient identification in a large tertiary care hospital; all cases were reported to the hospital’s patient safety committee within a 4-week period. Together, these cases serve to highlight several important systems issues.

The Commentary

Patient identification seems like a simple cog in the complex framework of a healthcare facility. However, errors in this simple process, although often harmless, can sometimes result in harm or distress to patients and their families.

Take-Home Point

Patient misidentification is a medical error experienced across all medical departments and avoiding these errors requires far-reaching preventive strategies.

What are some examples of patient identification errors?

Here are some examples of patient identification errors that occurred in last 5 years: A blood labeling error leads to a deadly transfusion.

Why is the US not adopting electronic health records?

In a 2016 STAT article, author John McQuaid explains that the US is far from adopting this solution due to many factors, including privacy and security concerns, political resistance and the widespread use of electronic health records that can’t communicate with each other.

What is standardized process for patient identification?

Using a standardized process for patient identification and capturing patient information, no matter where registration occurs. Clearly displaying information required to accurately identify the patient on electronic displays, wristband and printouts.

How many identifiers are needed for a patient?

Checking at least 2 patient identifiers—usually, name and date of birth, although some providers use a medical record number or another identifier. Checking bar-coded identification information on a patient’s wristband against information on a medication label or the patient’s medical record.

What did the clerk ask the patient to confirm on his wristband?

As a patient checked in for chemotherapy treatment, the clerk asked the patient to confirm the information on his wristband. Although the patient confirmed his identification, he did not notice that the information was for a patient with the same name, but a different birth date.

Should staff ask for patient name?

Staff should ask the patients for their name and birth date, instead of asking the patient to confirm what they hear. Electronic records systems should only allow 1 patient record to be open at a time. Staff should only print and use labels with patient information one patient at a time.

Is there a federal law on how to identify patients?

Currently, there are no federal laws regulating how providers identify patients. But, well-respected organizations provide guidelines to prevent these kinds of errors, including those listed below. Certainly, these recommendations are helpful but don’t prevent all patient identification errors.