We use Meditech client servers, do you use client server or magic?  Along
with many of my duties I have learned how to register patients, mostly
courier samples.  At first we were told to start the search using the SS#
then we were told this causes to many mistakes??????  I still use SS# to
find patient when registering them as long as the SS# is provided.  How I
look at it no one has the same SS#.  We have some regular patients that have
the same first and last name and even middle initial.  The chance of
choosing the wrong patient is easy if you use name.  I have almost done it
myself.  Also our doctors offices use patients nicknames or if the patient
using an initial for their first name the office doesn't use that on the
form.  I think using the SS# is a better way, that is why I still use it.  I
know the Meditech client server system pretty well if I can help you any
more let me know.

Becky Barnhart



----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike & Phyllis Thaxton" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 9:21 PM
Subject: same name / different number/ different patient


>
> Hi Histoland,
>   Recently we have had cases where a person has a stereotactic breast
biopsy
> procedure at a facility owned by the hospital network, a week later a
> lumpectomy at the main facility's same day surgery unit. The patient later
> asked for copies of her medical records. One of the records sent to her
was
> correct, the second record was a different patient with the same name,
> different social security number, different medical record number. The
first
> admission for the stereotactic biopsy had all correct information. The
> lumpectomy did not. So what happened was that when the patient was
admitted,
> a name search was performed and the admitting clerk did not check ss# nor
> med record number, and this is why the mistake happened.
>   We use meditech system wide, and this is my question. Is there a
foolproof
> way to admit patients into the system that could prevent this from
> happeneing again. My suggestion was to set up meditech to eliminate name
> search, and search by birth date and ss# only, or by name, plus add fields
> for ss# and date of birth before the search would begin. For some reason
my
> ideas weren't well received for various reasons, would require major
> changes, cost, etc...BUT!!!!!This is a patient we are talking about...this
> was an easy fix THIS TIME!!!
>   I am counting on you wonderful histonetters to share with me what the
rest
> of the world is doing to prevent this from happening, especially meditech
> gurus.
>   Thanks all.
>
> Phyllis Thaxton
>
>
>
>
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