Patient ID Day is today! Provided are several resources and calls to action to help support this vital initiative. To maximize the safety, security, availability, and integrity of patient health records, certain processes must be in place to ensure proper identification and matching of patients to their unique health information in health IT systems. The ability to properly identify individuals is imperative to patient safety and advancing interoperability across the healthcare ecosystem.
As health information professionals, we have the opportunity to make a difference in a big way. Let’s keep the momentum going, commit to adopt standard naming conventions and lead our profession to work in our organizations to achieve a less than 1% duplicate error rate, resulting in CHIA’s vision of “improved health through trusted information.” Together, we can make the difference! #patientIDnow
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ACT NOW to Remove Patient Identification Ban |
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We need your help in reaching out to the U.S. Senate today as they work to pass the Fiscal Year 2021 budget bills that still include a ban that stifles innovation around patient identification!
In July, the US House of Representatives adopted an amendment striking language in the House FY21 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill that prohibits the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from using federal funds to promote or adopt a unique patient identifier. Striking this language will give HHS the ability to evaluate a range of patient identification solutions that protect patient privacy and are cost-effective, scalable, and secure.
As Congress continues to consider the fiscal year 2021 spending bills, we encourage you to contact your Senators to encourage them to remove this archaic ban from the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2021.
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Share your support on social media with these sample posts and encourage others
to advocate for a patient identification strategy. #patientIDnow
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Support removal of Sec. 510 of Labor-H bill to allow patient identification strategy to advance in order to improve patient safety, outcomes and lower costs. Patients deserve better. #patientIDnow
COVID-19 highlighted the need to address patient misidentification. Without a national strategy, efforts to study the disease and roll out a vaccine are hindered. Please repeal Sec. 510 of Labor-H bill now. #patientIDnow
We need data to inform public health. The lack of accurate information in patient records risks not just individual patients, but public health efforts as a whole. I ask you to repeal Sec. 510 of Labor-H bill. #patientIDnow
The House has acted to repeal the ban on a unique patient identifier and the Senate must follow. Contact your Senators and, ask them to remove this outdated ban. #patientIDnow
Patient misidentification costs the average healthcare facility $17.4 million per year in denied claims and lost revenue. It’s time to address patient misidentification. #patientIDnow
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There’s only one you. But sometimes your personal information is so similar to someone else’s that your doctor’s office or hospital can mix up your health information. This can be dangerous and even deadly. It is time for Congress to act—repeal the ban on a unique patient identifier.
Countless examples provide compelling reasons for why we need solutions to address patient misidentification—mammogram results being filed into the wrong patient’s record, only to be discovered when the patient was terminal; babies receiving incorrect milk; inappropriate medications being delivered; and opiates being prescribed to patients with a history of addiction. All of these episodes occur because we cannot fully identify the right patient at the point of care and link their prior care records. It’s time for Congress to act—repeal the ban on a unique patient identifier.
The absence of a consistent approach to accurately identifying patients has led to patient safety errors and “near-misses.” We are committed to committed to working together to address patient misidentification and putting patients first. #patientIDnow.
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CHIA President's Message
The Future of Patient Identification and Matching
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The latest issue of the CHIA Journal is available now! The peer-reviewed CHIA Journal provides a wealth of information for California’s health information community. All CHIA and AHIMA members can access the digital version online to view, read and enjoy now!
President's Message (excerpt)
AHIMA20 HOUSE OF DELEGATES UPDATE
Progress Gainer in Patient Identification and Matching Concerns
by Melany Merryman, MSL, RHIA
While there are many different aspects of health information integrity, the problems encountered by health information professionals related to the management of the enterprise master patient index (EMPI) are significant. Experts in the field suggest an acceptable EMPI error rate of less than or equal to one percent. The reality is, many organizations either have no idea what their error rate is or find that it is far greater than one percent. This fact makes accurate patient matching nearly impossible by hindering interoperability of patient information. Identifying and matching patients to their health data is widely recognized as critical to enhancing patient safety, achieving better patient outcomes and ensuring accurate health information exchange. Without the ability for clinicians to accurately connect a patient to their medical record, lives have been lost and medical errors have needlessly occurred.
AHIMA has been focused on this issue for years. However, up to this point the federal government has made it difficult to address the issue due to a longstanding ban in its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which has stifled innovation around developing a nationwide patient identification strategy. The good news is the ban was repealed in July 2020 by a bipartisan effort in the US House of Representatives. This is certainly a step in the right direction; however, the repeal of the ban will next go before the US Senate. The actual ban prohibits the government from working with the private sector (vendors) to develop a strategy. This was discussed during AHIMA HoD breakout session and most attendees were hopeful that the momentum created by repealing the ban by the House of Representatives will be repeated by the Senate.
In the meantime, health information professionals are urged to adopt a standard naming convention to at least start a movement within their own organizations that will travel to others in their own cities and towns, states and across the nation. Delegates at the AHIMA HoD were urged to take the pledge to adopt the AHIMA recommended naming policy and champion it within their component state associations for education and organizational adoption.
This initiative will be shared with the CHIA Health Information Integrity Committee since they will be releasing an EMPI Toolkit, hopefully in the coming months. I urge everyone to check it out. We have an opportunity to make a difference in a big way! Let’s keep that momentum going! Read full issue.
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Take the Naming Policy Pledge |
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As health information professionals, we are committed to excellence in the management of health information for the benefit of patients and providers. Patient misidentification continues to jeopardize patient safety, limit and delay data sharing and interoperability, and has an adverse effect on data quality.
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Webinar on Demand
Health Information Integrity: New Insights, New Ideas
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Considering the many challenges of managing health information integrity in electronic health records (EHR), patient portals and other systems that rely on accurate EHR data and the ever-expanding range of uses, the linchpin of CHIA's vision is "trusted information." Health information integrity is a prerequisite to trusted information.
Join a panel discussion describing the work of CHIA's Health Information Integrity Task Force. Learn about the initiatives being undertaken by this committee to catalyze health information integrity, which includes creation of a EMPI Toolkit, Copy/Paste Toolkit and Documentation Requirements Toolkit.
The panelists will take a deep dive into the complexities of accurate patient identification and discuss six modern MPI cleanup ideas describing how to improve the accuracy and integrity of patient identifiers.
CEUs: 2 | Organizational Management and Leadership
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Webinar on Demand
Health Information Integrity: New Insights, New Ideas
Recorded November 10, 2020
Provided by SCHIA
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CHIA Members receive a #patientIDnow discount
rate of only $10
Purchase Price
$10 CHIA Member
$59 Non-Member
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Resources to Navigate the Patient ID Initiative |
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AHIMA Advocacy: Patient Identification
AHIMA recognizes that to maximize the safety, security, availability, and integrity of patient health records, certain processes must be in place to ensure proper identification and matching of patients to their unique health information in health IT systems. The ability to properly identify individuals is imperative to patient safety and advancing interoperability across the healthcare ecosystem. View AHIMA resources.
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AHIMA White Paper:
A Realistic Approach to Achieving a 1% Duplicate Record Error Rate
Patient identification and matching (PIM) is vital to delivery of safe and efficient care, and misidentification errors have been a recurring challenge in healthcare, resulting in administrative inefficiencies, serious injuries, and even death. AHIMA recommends a cycle approach to achieve a 1 percent duplicate record error rate, in this new white paper.
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Patient ID Now: Discover Resources, Impact on Patients, and More
Patient ID Now is a coalition of healthcare organizations representing a wide range of healthcare stakeholders committed to advancing through legislation and regulations a nationwide strategy to address patient identification.
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CHIA CONNECT: Community Chat
Friday, November 20 * - Complimentary Chat
A Study of the January 1 CPT Updates
Thursday, December 10 - Webinar
Evaluating and Managing the Learning Curve for 2021: Changes to E/M Codes
Thursday, December 17 - Webinar
CHIA CONNECT: Community Chat
Friday, December 18 * - Complimentary Chat
Healthcare Leader Agility in VUCA: Impacts of the Pandemic
Thursday, January 07 - Webinar
HIPAA: It's Not Just PRIVACY
Tuesday, January 12 - Webinar
Developing a Successful and Compliant OP CDI Program
Thursday, January 14 - Webinar
Managing in a Labor Management Environment (Union)
Thursday, January 21 - Webinar
eHIM Symposium: The Journey Continues
Tuesday, January 26 and Tuesday, February 02 - eLearning Program
*Adjusted due to holiday schedule
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