In the digital health era, a single and accurate patient identifier has never been so important for patient care. Patient misidentification can result in patient harm, impose a financial strain on the organization and risk patient privacy.
Errors within the Master Patient Index/Enterprise Master Patient Index affect not only the patient but also the financial, administrative and clinical areas in a health care facility. A 2016 report from the American Health Information Management Association noted that 86% of respondents said they have witnessed or known of a medical error that was the result of patient misidentification.
Health care organizations’ revenue cycles also face challenges associated with misidentification, costing the average health care facility $17.4 million per year in denied claims and lost revenue.
Interoperability is often compromised for the pediatric population, and therefore, may negatively affect clinical care delivery. To promote patient safety and interoperability, CHA’s health information management forum developed a report to serve as guidance for children’s hospitals across the United States and EHR vendors during system development.
