Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF PATIENT IDENTIFICATION PATIENT IDENTIFICATION FOR CLINICAL CARE AND TREATMENT POLICY: It is the policy of our Agency to ensure that all patients are properly identified prior to any care, treatment or services provided. In the home care setting, patient identification is less prone to error than in other settings. At the first encounter, the requirement for two identifiers is appropriate; thereafter, and in any situation of continuing one-on-one care in which the clinician "knows" the patient, one of the identifiers can be facial recognition. In the home, the correct address is also confirmed. The patient’s confirmed address is an acceptable identifier when used in conjunction with another individual-specific identifier. PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION: • A system for positive identification of all patients fulfills four (4) basic functions: • Provides positive identification of patients from the time of sign up/admission or acceptance for treatment. • This identification system shall apply to patients in all kind of services. • Provides a positive method of linking patients to their medical records and treatment. • Minimizes the possibility that identifying data can be lost or transferred from one patient to another, when the field staff visit more than one patient in their daily itinerary. • Improves the accuracy of patient identification. PATIENT IDENTIFICATION POLICY: At first encounter, the patient identification will be checked by the responsible care provider for the following two (2) identifiers to ensure that the right patient is involved: Patient name, facial recognition Patient date of birth Patient address confirmed Whenever possible, staff should also verbally assess the patient to assure proper identification, asking the patient’s name and date of birth and matching the verbal confirmation to the written information on the admission documentation. If the patient’s date of birth is not available, the second identifier will become the patient’s medical record number or Health Insurance Claim number. At first encounter, patient identification must be confirmed using the two (2) identifier system prior to conducting any healthcare procedures. Procedures may include, but are not limited to: • Administration of medication • IV, infusion or blood components • Obtaining blood or other specimens from the patient • Specimen samples obtained from the patient will be labeled using the two (2) identifier system in the presence of the patient. • Performing a treatment • Performing a diagnostic test (i.e., take a blood sample, glucose test, etc) • Distributing a diet, nutritional training • Sending patients to another provider, Hospital Home Health Agency Policies A-169