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Patient identification has always been a huge problem for the US healthcare system. Since the early days of EHRs, external issues have created duplicate medical records - something that hugely impacts patient identification negatively. These lead to issues like jeopardized patient safety and healthcare outcomes. Down the line, these come back to haunt hospitals as wrong patient identification generates a lot of problems for them - litigation costs, medical identity theft, and denied claims are just some of the consequences. With a proper patient identification system, healthcare providers can eliminate all the issues related to patient misidentification.

There are a number of ways healthcare providers avoid wrong patient identification - most of them have their pros and cons. However, let’s take a look at the most feasible way to ensure patient identification that not only ensures patient safety but also ensures a hygienic environment for all involved.

Touchless patient identification

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the only sensible choice would be to use touchless patient identification solutions that are effective and have experience. RightPatient fits the bill perfectly - it uses a photo-based engine to prevent patient misidentification. It locks the medical records of the patients with their photos upon registration. All the patient needs to do is look at the camera and the platform identifies the correct medical record within seconds, making it the easiest, most seamless, and completely touchless experience. It enhances patient safety and ensures a hygienic environment for all involved across the continuum of care. 

RightPatient can also identify the patient from appointment scheduling. After scheduling an appointment, the patient receives an SMS/email with a link to provide a selfie and a photo of their driver’s license. Once the patient provides the required photos, RightPatient automatically matches the photos to remotely validate the patient’s identity, ensuring accurate patient identification, protecting patient data, and preventing medical identity theft.

Source: Patient Identity Management is More Important Than Ever – Are you Doing it Right?