What practice helps ensure correct patient identification throughout all steps of care in a clinic?

• A. Rely on patient surname only.
• B. Use multiple identifiers, verify DOB and name on wristbands or chart, and confirm during each step of care.
• C. Rely on room number for identification.
• D. Ask family members to identify the patient.

Answer: (B)

Accurate patient identification must be verified at every step of care. The safest approach is to use multiple identifiers and confirm them consistently—typically the patient’s name and date of birth—against both the wristband and the chart, and to verify these at each stage (admission, procedures, medication administration, and discharge). This reduces the risk of mixing up patients or giving treatment to the wrong person.

Relying on a surname alone can lead to errors because many people share names or have similar spellings. A room number isn’t a reliable identifier since room assignments can change and don’t uniquely identify a patient. Asking family members to identify the patient can be inaccurate and may raise privacy concerns, especially if the patient is capable of self-identification or if others are present who shouldn’t have access to health information.