Free CHAA Patient Identification & Identity Theft Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals, what is the minimum number of patient identifiers that must be used when providing care, treatment, or services?
- One
- Two (Correct answer)
- Three
- Four
Correct answer: Two
To reliably identify the individual as the person for whom the service or treatment is intended, at least two identifiers must be used. Acceptable identifiers include the patient's full name and date of birth. Using the patient's room number is not an acceptable identifier.
Question 2: While registering a patient, you notice the photo on their driver's license does not appear to match the person standing in front of you. What is the most appropriate next step?
- Accuse the patient of using a fake ID.
- Ignore the discrepancy to avoid offending the patient.
- Ask for a second form of photo identification and follow facility protocol. (Correct answer)
- Refuse service and ask the patient to leave immediately.
Correct answer: Ask for a second form of photo identification and follow facility protocol.
Discrepancies between a photo ID and the patient could indicate medical identity theft. Following the facility's specific protocol, which often involves asking for a secondary form of photo ID and discreetly notifying a supervisor, is the correct and safest course of action.
Question 3: The primary purpose of the federal Red Flags Rule is to:
- Ensure patients pay their bills on time.
- Standardize the format of medical records across all hospitals.
- Help organizations detect, prevent, and mitigate medical identity theft. (Correct answer)
- Regulate the amount of information that can be collected from a patient.
Correct answer: Help organizations detect, prevent, and mitigate medical identity theft.
The Red Flags Rule requires financial institutions and creditors, including many healthcare organizations, to implement a written program to detect the warning signs, or 'red flags,' of identity theft in their day-to-day operations. This is a proactive measure to protect both patients and the organization from fraud.
Question 4: An established patient arrives for an appointment but refuses to provide their photo ID, stating that the staff should know them by now. What is the best response?
- Proceed with registration without the ID to maintain patient satisfaction.
- Politely explain that it is a hospital policy to verify identity for their protection at every visit. (Correct answer)
- Refuse to register the patient until they comply with the request.
- Ask the patient to write a letter of complaint to management.
Correct answer: Politely explain that it is a hospital policy to verify identity for their protection at every visit.
Patient identification must be confirmed at every encounter, regardless of how familiar the patient is. Politely explaining that this is a universal policy to protect the patient's identity and ensure their medical safety is the best approach to gain cooperation while reinforcing security protocols.
Question 5: What is a major patient safety risk associated with creating a duplicate medical record for an existing patient?
- It can lead to a fragmented medical history and potential clinical errors. (Correct answer)
- It slightly increases the hospital's data storage costs.
- It makes the billing process more efficient for the patient.
- It improves the patient's ability to access their health information.
Correct answer: It can lead to a fragmented medical history and potential clinical errors.
Creating a duplicate record fragments a patient's medical history. This means a clinician treating the patient may not have access to their complete history, including critical information like allergies, previous diagnoses, or medications, which can lead to serious medical errors.
Question 6: Some healthcare facilities use biometrics for patient identification. Which of the following is an example of a biometric identifier?
- Patient's home address
- Patient's insurance card
- Patient's fingerprint (Correct answer)
- Patient's medical record number
Correct answer: Patient's fingerprint
Biometrics are unique physical or behavioral characteristics used for identification. A fingerprint is a classic example of a physical biometric identifier that is unique to each individual and can be used to quickly and accurately pull up the correct patient record.
Free CHAA Patient Identification & Identity Theft Questions and Answers 1
According to The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals, what is the minimum number of patient identifiers that must be used when providing care, treatment, or services?