Using the Driver's License to capture an individual's name at registration ensures medical records travel with a person. AHIMA recommends capture of the legal name and use of the US Postal Service Address in support of patient safety. Ask your organization - Are you taking advantage of this patient safety opportunity?
A Driver’s License Can Drive Healthcare Patient matching across electronic health vendors is required to ensure that medical records can travel with a person. Inconsistent capture of patient demographics is one key reason that patient matching is incomplete, putting Texans at risk for delays in care, repeat imaging, medication mishaps, and added expense and putting providers at risk for payer denials. ? Capturing patient names in a consistent, standardized manner gets easier on January 1, 2025. The expansion of the Texas Transportation Code will include healthcare as an exception for access and use of electronically readable information to capture demographics (name, date of birth, address, and drivers’ license number) from driver’s license and ID cards. This will make your check-in process quicker, reduce errors, and improve patient matching. A big benefit at the front desk with a long line of patients waiting to be registered and for the care team to have easier access to outside records.? Several electronic health vendors can scan a Driver’s License and auto populate registration fields. You will want to check with your electronic health vendor on their ability to scan the Driver’s License to populate registration fields.?Vendors respond to what interests us, let them know that you are interested in this patient safety and time saving process. Let the Driver’s License drive your registration process. ? TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 521. DRIVER'S LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES (texas.gov) Philip Beckett C3HIE: Connected, Collaborative, Community Katherine Lusk, MHSM, RHIA, FAHIMA Texas Health Services Authority (Statewide HIE)