Page 2 - HIPAA Guard Herald Aug and Sept 2018 e-Newsletter
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HIPAA Guard H E R A L D Patient wristbands are most commonly used and have long been the
method facilities utilized to identify their patients health concerns or
YOUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ON SURVIVING HIPAA status. But there are varying opinions on how patient health
information can still be protected using these wristbands while providing
#1 Systematic checks on patient ID optimum health care.
correctness
Best practice suggests that in order to still be HIPAA compliant with
Ensuring patient safety requires accurate patient identification from using these wristbands, the facility must:
registration, to appointment setting , and to finishing the medical
transaction (e.g. medical check ups) itself. Misidentification of patients 1. Educate the patient and its family members of the use of the
at the point of care can not only result to data or PHI privacy issues and patient wristband. Try to explain its purpose and why it is important
can result in life or death situations. Critical situations where correct that the information be seen by key health care personnel easily in
patient identification is warranted are: order to protect the patient’s health and make sure their requests
1. Unconscious patient in traumatic or emergency situations are carried out.
2. Radiation or diagnostic procedures prior to receiving treatment
3. Time-out procedures for surgery 2. Develop detailed protocols, policy and training resources, to reduce
4. Administration of medicines the risk of medical error when using wristbands.
5. Provision of blood transfusions
3. Educate and train key personnel and health care workforce on the
proper use , identification and HIPAA compliance involved in the
utilization of wristbands, such as making sure to ask patient
identification questions and verify procedure in an appropriate way;
and disposing of extra wristbands properly as they contain PHI.
ISSUE 09
Aug & Sept 2018
