068 - Patient Identification and Patient Safety
Autore/i: J. Kay
Rivista: RIMeL - IJLaM, Vol. 2, N. 3-S1, 2006 (MAF Servizi srl ed.)
Pagina/e: 68-69
Incorrect identification of patients is clinically dangerous1,2. Requiring staff to repeatedly re-enter patient information is inefficient. A combination of auto-identification technology and process re-engineering therefore allows improvements in both patient safety and process efficiency. The dominant auto-identification technology is currently bar codes, and they are ubiquitous in commerce and logistics. A newer technology, radio frequency identification (RFID), is now appearing. The principals of RFID are the same as those for bar coding but it allows remote sensing of multiple objects. The two major problems with RFID are the cost of the devices and the current proprietary technologies used by different manufacturers. When both of these are overcome it will probably replace barcoding in many applications. In the request-report cycle for central laboratory testing patient identification is predominantly a matter for the preanalytical phase, with the key step being the linking of the patient identity to the request and specimen that are sent to the laboratory. However, problems in identification are usually revealed in the post-analytical phase when the report is interpreted by the appropriate clinician. In introducing barcoding a series of design questions ...