Which patient identifiers does The Joint Commission consider acceptable?

For the first encounter with a patient, The Joint Commission recommends using two identifiers to be sure the patient is who they are supposed to be. A patient identifier can include their name, medical record number, birth date, phone number, Social Security number, address, or matching their face to a photo.

Table of Contents

What are 5 acceptable 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 the two most common patient identifiers?

An assigned identification number (e.g. medical record number, etc). Telephone number or another person-specific identifier.

How many identifiers do you need from a patient?

two patient identifiers
Verify two patient identifiers—every patient, every time. To prevent instances of mis-identification and near-miss error, The Joint Commission requires that two identifiers—such as a patient’s full name, date of birth and/or medical identification (ID) number—be used for every patient encounter.

Which example qualifies as a sentinel event that would require review by the Joint Commission?

Examples of sentinel events from the Joint Commission include the following: Suicide during treatment or within 72 hours of discharge. Unanticipated death during care of an infant. Abduction while receiving care.

What is a unique patient identifier?

A unique patient identifier (UPI) is a method for standardizing patient identification. Individuals are assigned a unique code, and that code, rather than a Social Security Number, name, or address, is what is used by healthcare organizations to identify and manage patient information.

What is 3 point ID check?

If patient identification bands are not practicable or appropriate, health services may use equivalent means of identification. Any alternatives must contain the three nationally agreed core patient identifiers (name, date of birth and medical record number).

What is a universal patient identifier?

A UPI is a single medical identification number, much like a Social Security number (SSN) or some other identification (such as biometrics or smartphones), that is unique to each person and used to organize their medical information.

How many patient identifiers are enforced by HIPAA?

18 Identifiers
HIPAA PHI: Definition of PHI and List of 18 Identifiers.

What is the most common sentinel event reported to The Joint Commission?

Unintended Retention of Foreign Object (URFO) is one of the most frequently reported sentinel events to The Joint Commission.

What are the top 10 sentinel events?

10 most common sentinel events

Patient suicide: 382.
Operative/postoperative complication: 330.
Wrong-site surgery: 310.
Medication error: 291.
Delay in treatment: 172.
Patient fall: 114.
Patient death or injury in restraints: 113.
Assault, rape, or homicide: 89.

What are HIPAA patient identifiers?

The 18 HIPAA 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.

What are unique patient identifiers?

What are the components of UPI in healthcare?

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Digi Doctor Platform (Doctor’s Directory)
Health Facility Registry.
Health ID (HID)
Patient Health Record (PHR)
Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

Is MRN universal?

Patients do not have a universal MRN as they are provided separately by different healthcare systems. An MRN will not change throughout all of the care received within a health system – unlike an account (called a HAR in Epic) or visit number (called a CSN in Epic).

What are the top 3 root causes of joint commission reported events?

According to the Joint Commission, the most common cause of sentinel events in healthcare includes unintended retention of a foreign object, fall-related events, and performing procedures on the wrong patient.

Is there a joint commission standard for alias patient identifiers?

There are no Joint Commission standards that address this practice. Organizations should evaluate risks associated with this practice. However, if an organization implements use of an alias, two patient identifiers must still be used, as defined by policy. Last updated on March 16, 2021

What is the Joint Commission’s policy on patient identification?

To prevent instances of mis-identification and near-miss error, The Joint Commission requires that two identifiers —such as a patient’s full name, date of birth and/or medical identification (ID) number—be used for every patient encounter. Who is a Caregiver?

How many patient identifiers do you need?

Verify two patient identifiers—every patient, every time. To prevent instances of mis-identification and near-miss error, The Joint Commission requires that two identifiers —such as a patient’s full name, date of birth and/or medical identification (ID) number—be used for every patient encounter. Who is a Caregiver?

What are the different types of patient identification?

Worldwide, there are several different patient identification approaches, techniques, and solutions including UPIs and algorithms.