The importance of achieving a 360-degree view of patient identity: A survey of US healthcare providers

Abstract

Objective: To describe the perceived importance among healthcare leaders of accurate patient identity in meeting organizational needs and objectives for improved clinical, operational and financial performance.
Methods: Survey of 100 US healthcare executives evaluated priorities and needs of care organizations as impacted by the imperative to ensure accurate patient identity in care delivery, operations, and meeting strategic objectives.
Results: Healthcare executives (72%) reported concern that inaccurate patient identity data reduces care quality/safety and healthcare organization financial performance. Only 14% were highly or extremely satisfied with the accuracy level of their existing patient identity management solutions. Inability to know “who is who” is perceived as increasing risk of patient harm and inferior care outcomes, low patient satisfaction, impeded operational efficiency and financial performance, and a key challenge to achieving strategic initiatives such as digital transformation and effective population health management. Accuracy in patient identity was linked to nearly all strategic priorities, with 60% considering it vital to every aspect of organizational performance, and 64% stating it can improve operational efficiency. Eighty-eight percent regarded accurate patient identity as essential to improving patient experience, care management (75%), and establishing an effective digital front door (73%). Majorities recognized the importance of accurate patient identity to organizational growth initiatives and digital transformation.
Conclusions: Although patient identity impacts most aspects of healthcare operations, leadership of most healthcare organizations surveyed understood the criticality of accurate patient identity in optimizing organizational performance, but lacked confidence in their ability to achieve a complete an accurate 360-degree view of patients.

Keywords

Patient identity / Patient identity accuracy / Patient misidentification / Healthcare errors / Digital transformation

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are grateful to the individuals who responded to the survey and conveyed the data comprising this report.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE

GA Gellert is a medical advisor to Verato, and ME Erwich and S Krivicky Herdman are employees of Verato. The authors declare they have no other apparent or actual potential conflicts of interest.

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