Survey shows mismatched patient records a high priority for many hospital CIOs

Patient matching is among the highest priorities for 42 percent of hospital CIOs, but 18 percent say they do not know what percentage of patient records are mismatched within their institution, according to a survey from Imprivata.

“This survey underscores the critical role positive patient identification plays in ensuring patient safety and protecting patient data. Misidentification of patients upon registration creates a ripple effect, with both clinical and financial consequences for hospitals and patients,” said Dr. Sean Kelly, Chief Medical Officer at Imprivata. “These survey results are especially concerning because patient misidentification is widely prevalent in busy healthcare facilities due to outdated systems, duplicate medical records, human errors, and miscommunication.”

Almost a quarter of those surveyed say that patient matching is not a top priority at this time, but should be. The lack of certainty about how many records are mismatched is even more pronounced with regard to those shared between institutions, as 38 percent of survey respondents say they do not know the percentage of external mismatched patient records.

“Many hospitals still rely on methods that do not guarantee accurate patient identification, such as a person’s date of birth or a health insurance card,” said Kelly. “By implementing a registration solution – such as biometric identification technology, including palm vein – that accurately identifies patients and matches them with their correct EMPI and EHR records, hospitals can reduce the very real risks highlighted in this survey.”

A recent report from Grand View Research predicts the global healthcare biometrics market will grow to $14.5 billion by 2025.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  data protection  |  Imprivata  |  patient identification