Patient identity must be verified when using or disclosing patient information. It is vitally important to identify the correct patient for many reasons, including but not limited to patient safety, protection of privacy, and proper billing.
- Per UConn Health policy, at a minimum, verify identity using the patient’s full name and date of birth. Regulation requires the use of as many identifiers as necessary to ensure identification of the correct patient.
- In addition to the UConn Health verification requirements, the Office of Healthcare Compliance & Privacy strongly recommends using at least one additional identifier, such as the last four (4) digits of the patient’s Social Security number (if available) or address.
Remember:
- Double-check to ensure the correct medical record is open for the correct patient, every time. Patients may have the same or similar names and dates of birth.
- Direct all requests to change or correct patient identifying information to Patient Access at 860-679-1600 or dl-patientaccess-namecorrections@uchc.edu or Data Integrity at 860-679-3795 or dataintegrity@uchc.edu. Patient identifiers must not be changed without appropriate supporting documentation. Further, any proposed changes to date of birth or Social Security number must be directed to Data Integrity for validation and processing.
- If you discover that more than one patient has the same name or other identifiers, do not disclose this information to the patient with whom you are speaking. For example, do not say, “We have three other patients here with your same name.”
Questions or Concerns:
- If you have questions about the Identification and Protection of PHI policy or related procedures, need guidance, or have a privacy concern, please contact the Office of Healthcare Compliance & Privacy at ohcp@uchc.edu or 860-679-6060.
- If you have questions regarding UConn Health verification requirements or the Core Patient Identifiers and Naming Convention policy, please contact Health Information Management at 860-679-3380.