Patient Identification & Identity Theft Flashcards
6 cards from real CHAA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Patient Identification & Identity Theft flashcards as text
What are the two patient identifiers recommended by The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals?
Answer: Patient's full name and date of birth (or medical record number)
The Joint Commission requires at least two patient identifiers to verify identity, and room/bed numbers cannot be used.
A patient's registration information does not match the name on their insurance card. What should the access representative investigate?
Answer: Whether there has been a legal name change, a data entry error, or potential identity theft or insurance fraud
Name discrepancies can indicate legitimate changes, errors, or potential fraud, all requiring investigation.
What is medical identity theft, and why is it particularly dangerous?
Answer: It involves using someone's personal information to obtain medical services, which can corrupt the victim's medical record with incorrect information leading to harmful treatment decisions
Medical identity theft is uniquely dangerous because it can corrupt medical records with potentially life-threatening incorrect information.
Which technology can help prevent patient misidentification during registration?
Answer: Biometric identification systems such as palm vein scanning or fingerprint recognition
Biometric identification provides high-confidence, non-transferable identity verification.
A patient reports someone used their identity to receive medical services. What steps should the access representative take?
Answer: Document the report, escalate to the privacy officer and compliance department, and initiate the identity theft response protocol
Reports of medical identity theft must be escalated through proper channels for investigation.
What is the purpose of a patient identity integrity program?
Answer: To establish systematic processes for preventing, detecting, and correcting patient identification errors and maintaining MPI accuracy
A patient identity integrity program provides a comprehensive framework for accurate patient identification.